Q.Let A and B be two mutually exclusive events such that P(A)=21 and P(B)=31. Write the value of P(A∩B).
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Mutually Exclusive Events
The "Can't Happen Together" Idea
Roll a single six-sided die and look at two events:
- Event A: the die shows an even number — A={2,4,6}.
- Event B: the die shows an odd number — B={1,3,5}.
Can one roll be both even and odd at the same time? No — not a single outcome belongs to both. Events like these, which can never occur together in the same trial, are called mutually exclusive.
Now compare a different pair:
- Event A: an even number — {2,4,6}.
- Event C: a number greater than 3 — {4,5,6}.
Here 4 and 6 belong to both, so A and C can happen together. They are not mutually exclusive.
The Precise Definition
Two events A and B associated with a sample space are mutually exclusive (or disjoint) if they have no outcome in common:
A∩B=∅
The intersection is the empty set — if one of them occurs, the other cannot occur in that same trial.
The Addition Rule for Mutually Exclusive Events
This is the property most often used in the exam. Because there is no overlap to double-count, the general addition rule
P(A∪B)=P(A)+P(B)−P(A∩B)
collapses. Since A∩B=∅, we have P(A∩B)=0, so:
For mutually exclusive events A and B:
P(A∪B)=P(A)+P(B)
For three mutually exclusive events A, B, C (every pair disjoint):
P(A∪B∪C)=P(A)+P(B)+P(C)
More Than Two Events
A collection of events E1,E2,…,En is called mutually exclusive if every pair among them is mutually exclusive, i.e. Ei∩Ej=∅ for all i=j. For instance, when a die is rolled the six simple events {1},{2},{3},{4},{5},{6} are all mutually exclusive — no two of them can happen on the same roll.
Mutually exclusive vs. exhaustive. These often appear together but mean different things. Events are mutually exclusive if no two overlap (Ei∩Ej=∅); they are exhaustive if together they cover the whole sample space (E1∪E2∪⋯∪En=S). The six single-number events above are both mutually exclusive and exhaustive.
Worked Examples
Example 1 — Drawing one card from a standard deck.
- Event A: the card is a heart.
- Event B: the card is a spade.
A single card cannot be both a heart and a spade, so A∩B=∅: these are mutually exclusive.
Example 2 — Drawing one card from a standard deck.
- Event A: the card is a heart.
- Event B: the card is a king.
The king of hearts lies in both events, so A∩B={king of hearts}=∅: these are not mutually exclusive. …
Mutually exclusive events cannot occur together, so their intersection is the impossible event; the given individual probabilities …
Mutually exclusive events cannot occur together, so their intersection is the empty event with probability 0.
By definition, two events A and B are mutually exclusive if they cannot occur simultaneously, i.e. A∩B=∅.
Hence P(A∩B)=P(∅)=0.
…
- CBSE 2026Set ANNUAL1 markQ.Define "Mutually Exclusive Event".
›Reveal solutionSolution
Events A and B are mutually exclusive if they cannot occur simultaneously, i.e. A∩B=∅.
In a random experiment with sample space S, events A,B⊆S are mutually exclusive if A∩B=∅ — no outcome belongs to both events.
…
- CBSE 2026Set 1A1 markMCQQ.If P(A)=0.5, P(B)=0.3 (given that A and B are mutually exclusive), then P(A′∩B′)=(1) 0.6(2) 0.5(3) 0.7(4) 0.2
›Reveal solutionSolution
P(A∪B)=0.8, so P(A′∩B′)=1−0.8=0.2.
Since A,B are mutually exclusive, P(A∩B)=0, hence
P(A∪B)=P(A)+P(B)=0.5+0.3=0.8.
By De Morgan's law A′∩B′=(A∪B)′, so …
- CBSE 2025Set ANNUAL1 markMCQQ.If E and F are mutually exclusive events, P(E) = 3/5 and P(F) = 1/5, then P(E ∪ F) is:(a) 4/5(b) 17/25(c) 3/25(d) None of these
›Reveal solutionSolution
Mutually exclusive events cannot occur together, so P(E∩F)=0 and the union rule simplifies to a plain sum.
Since E and F are mutually exclusive, P(E∩F)=0.
…
- CBSE 2024Set ANNUAL1 markQ.Given P(A) = 3/5 and P(B) = 1/5, find P(A or B), if A and B are mutually exclusive events.
›Reveal solutionSolution
Mutually exclusive events don't overlap, so their probabilities simply add: 3/5+1/5=4/5.
For mutually exclusive events A and B: P(A∩B)=0, so
…
- CBSE 2024Set hz1 markQ.If A and B are mutually exclusive events, then P(A or B)=P(A)+P(B). (True/False)
›Reveal solutionSolution
This is exactly the addition theorem of probability restricted to mutually exclusive events, and it is correct — the statement is True.
The general addition theorem of probability states:
P(A∪B)=P(A)+P(B)−P(A∩B)
Mutually exclusive events are events that cannot occur at the same time, meaning A∩B=∅, so P(A∩B)=0.
Substituting into the general formula: …
- CBSE 2023Set ANNUAL1 markMCQQ.Given P(A) = 3/5, P(B) = 1/5, A and B are mutually exclusive, then P(A or B) is:(a) 3/25(b) 4/5(c) 17/25(d) None of these
›Reveal solutionSolution
For mutually exclusive events, P(A∪B)=P(A)+P(B).
Since A and B are mutually exclusive (they cannot both occur), P(A∩B)=0, so: …
- CBSE 2023Set ANNUAL1 markQ.Fill in the blank: If A and B are mutually exclusive events, then A∩B= ____.
›Reveal solutionSolution
Mutually exclusive events have A∩B=ϕ.
Two events A and B are called mutually exclusive if they can never occur at the same time, i.e. they share no common outcomes.
…
- CBSE 2020Set ANNUAL1 markQ.Fill in the blank by choosing the correct alternative: If A and B are two mutually exclusive events, then the value of A∩B is ____. (Choose: ϕ or 0)
›Reveal solutionSolution
Mutually exclusive means the two events share no common outcome, so their intersection is the empty set ϕ.
Two events A and B are called mutually exclusive if they cannot occur simultaneously — that is, there is no outcome common to both.
Since there is no outcome common to A and B, their intersection (the set of common outcomes) is empty: …
- CBSE 2019Set ANNUAL1 markQ.Let A and B be two mutually exclusive events such that P(A)=21 and P(B)=31. Write the value of P(A∩B).
›Reveal solutionSolution
Mutually exclusive events cannot occur together, so their intersection is the empty event with probability 0.
By definition, two events A and B are mutually exclusive if they cannot occur simultaneously, i.e. A∩B=∅.
Hence P(A∩B)=P(∅)=0.
…
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