Post History
#6: Post edited
Besides guaranteeing $0 \le P(A ∩ B) \le 1$, why can't Independence be defined as P(A ∩ B) = P(A) +,-, or ÷ P(B)?
- Besides guaranteeing 0 ≤ P(A ∩ B) ≤ 1, why can't Independence be defined as P(A ∩ B) = P(A) +,-, or ÷ P(B)?
#5: Post edited
Besides guaranteeing that $0 \le P(A ∩ B) \le 1$, why can't Independence be defined as P(A ∩ B) = P(A) +,-, or ÷ P(B)?
- Besides guaranteeing $0 \le P(A ∩ B) \le 1$, why can't Independence be defined as P(A ∩ B) = P(A) +,-, or ÷ P(B)?
#4: Post edited
Why isn't Independence defined as $P(A \cap B) = P(A) +,-,\text{or} ÷ P (B)$?
- Besides guaranteeing that $0 \le P(A ∩ B) \le 1$, why can't Independence be defined as P(A ∩ B) = P(A) +,-, or ÷ P(B)?
In the title, ? = one of the four elementary arithmetic operations. Why isn't independence defined as $P(A \cap B) = P(A)$- 1. $+ P (B)$?
- 2. or $- P (B)$?
- 3. or $÷ P (B)$?
- >### Definition 2.5.1 (Independence of two events).
- >Events A and B are _independent_ if
- $P(A \cap B) = P(A)P(B)$.
- >If P(A) > 0 and P(B) > 0, then this is equivalent to
- $P(A|B) = P(A)$;
- and also equivalent to $P(B|A) = P(B)$.
- Blitzstein, *Introduction to Probability* (2019 2 ed), p 63.
- >We have introduced the conditional probability P(A|B) to capture the partial
- information that event B provides about event A. An interesting and important
- special case arises when the occurrence of B provides no such information and
- does not alter the probability that A has occurred, i.e. ,
- P(A I B) = P(A).
- When the above equality holds. we say that A is **independent** of B. Note that
- by the definition $P(A | B) = P(A \cap B)/P(B)$, this is equivalent to
- $P(A \cap B) = P(A)P (B).$
- We adopt this latter relation as the definition of independence because it can be
- used even when P(B) = 0, in which case P(A|B) is undefined. The symmetry
- of this relation also implies that independence is a symmetric property; that is,
- if A is independent of B, then B is independent of A, and we can unambiguously
- say that A and B are **independent events**.
- Tsitsiklis, *Introduction to Probability* (2008 2e), p 34.
- I know that $0 \le P(A \cap B) \le 1$ will be violated if $P(A \cap B) = P(A) +,-,\text{or} ÷ P (B)$. I'm not asking about or challenging this reason.
- But what are the other reasons against defining independence as $P(A \cap B) = P(A)$
- 1. $+ P (B)$?
- 2. or $- P (B)$?
- 3. or $÷ P (B)$?
- >### Definition 2.5.1 (Independence of two events).
- >
- >Events A and B are _independent_ if
- $P(A \cap B) = P(A)P(B)$.
- >
- >If P(A) > 0 and P(B) > 0, then this is equivalent to
- $P(A|B) = P(A)$;
- and also equivalent to $P(B|A) = P(B)$.
- Blitzstein, *Introduction to Probability* (2019 2 ed), p 63.
- >We have introduced the conditional probability P(A|B) to capture the partial
- information that event B provides about event A. An interesting and important
- special case arises when the occurrence of B provides no such information and
- does not alter the probability that A has occurred, i.e. ,
- P(A I B) = P(A).
- When the above equality holds. we say that A is **independent** of B. Note that
- by the definition $P(A | B) = P(A \cap B)/P(B)$, this is equivalent to
- $P(A \cap B) = P(A)P (B).$
- We adopt this latter relation as the definition of independence because it can be
- used even when P(B) = 0, in which case P(A|B) is undefined. The symmetry
- of this relation also implies that independence is a symmetric property; that is,
- if A is independent of B, then B is independent of A, and we can unambiguously
- say that A and B are **independent events**.
- Tsitsiklis, *Introduction to Probability* (2008 2e), p 34.
#3: Post edited
Why isn't independence defined as $P(A \cap B) = P(A) +,-,\text{or} ÷ P (B)$?
- Why isn't Independence defined as $P(A \cap B) = P(A) +,-,\text{or} ÷ P (B)$?
#2: Post edited
Why isn't independence defined as $P(A \cap B) = P(A) ? P (B)$?
- Why isn't independence defined as $P(A \cap B) = P(A) +,-,\text{or} ÷ P (B)$?
#1: Initial revision
Why isn't independence defined as $P(A \cap B) = P(A) ? P (B)$?
In the title, ? = one of the four elementary arithmetic operations. Why isn't independence defined as $P(A \cap B) = P(A)$ 1. $+ P (B)$? 2. or $- P (B)$? 3. or $÷ P (B)$? >### Definition 2.5.1 (Independence of two events). >Events A and B are _independent_ if $P(A \cap B) = P(A)P(B)$. >If P(A) > 0 and P(B) > 0, then this is equivalent to $P(A|B) = P(A)$; and also equivalent to $P(B|A) = P(B)$. Blitzstein, *Introduction to Probability* (2019 2 ed), p 63. >We have introduced the conditional probability P(A|B) to capture the partial information that event B provides about event A. An interesting and important special case arises when the occurrence of B provides no such information and does not alter the probability that A has occurred, i.e. , P(A I B) = P(A). When the above equality holds. we say that A is **independent** of B. Note that by the definition $P(A | B) = P(A \cap B)/P(B)$, this is equivalent to $P(A \cap B) = P(A)P (B).$ We adopt this latter relation as the definition of independence because it can be used even when P(B) = 0, in which case P(A|B) is undefined. The symmetry of this relation also implies that independence is a symmetric property; that is, if A is independent of B, then B is independent of A, and we can unambiguously say that A and B are **independent events**. Tsitsiklis, *Introduction to Probability* (2008 2e), p 34.