We have learnt about the probability in previous classes. Here we will learn more, the words ‘probably’, ‘doubt’, ‘most probably’, ‘chances’, etc., used in the statements above involve an element of uncertainty.
It is remarkable that a science, which began with the consideration of games of chance, should be elevated to the rank of the most important subject of human knowledge. — Pierre Simon Laplace
The uncertainty of ‘probably’ etc can be measured numerically by means of ‘probability’ in many cases.
There are many uses of probability started with gambling, it has been used extensively in the fields of Physical Sciences, Commerce, Biological Sciences, Medical Sciences, Weather Forecasting, etc.
We have learnt a glimpse of probability when you performed experiments like tossing of coins, throwing of dice, etc., and observed their outcomes.
Here we will now learn to measure the chance of occurrence of a particular outcome.
A trial is an action which results in one or several outcomes.
Write down the values of the following fractions :
Number of times a head comes up/Total number of times the coin is tossed and Number of times a tail comes up/Total Number of times the coin is tossed
P(E) = Number of trials in which the event happened/The total number of trials.