AP Statistics Flashcards: Mutually Exclusive Events
Written by AP Content Team, Verified for 2026 AP Exams, Last updated: May 2026
Review key ideas with interactive flashcards. This set includes 10 cards to help you master important concepts.
What does the joint probability, P(A and B), represent?
The joint probability, P(A and B), represents the probability of the intersection of events A and B, meaning the probability that both events occur.
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What does the joint probability, P(A and B), represent?
The joint probability, P(A and B), represents the probability of the intersection of events A and B, meaning the probability that both events occur.
A card is drawn from a standard deck. Are the events 'drawing a King' and 'drawing a Heart' mutually exclusive? Explain.
No, these events are not mutually exclusive because you can draw the King of Hearts, an outcome where both events occur at the same time.
How does the concept of an 'intersection' relate to mutually exclusive events?
For mutually exclusive events, the intersection is empty because there are no outcomes where both events can occur simultaneously.
What is another term for mutually exclusive events?
Another term for mutually exclusive events is disjoint events.
What is the joint probability of two mutually exclusive events, A and B?
The joint probability of two mutually exclusive events is 0, because they cannot happen at the same time, so P(A and B) = 0.
A single coin is flipped. Are the events 'getting heads' and 'getting tails' mutually exclusive? Explain.
Yes, they are mutually exclusive because the coin cannot land on both heads and tails in a single flip, so P(Heads and Tails) = 0.
A single die is rolled. Are the events 'rolling a 4' and 'rolling an odd number' mutually exclusive? Explain.
Yes, these events are mutually exclusive because 4 is an even number, so it is impossible to roll a 4 and an odd number at the same time.
What are mutually exclusive events?
Mutually exclusive (or disjoint) events are two events that cannot occur at the same time.
How can you mathematically determine if two events are mutually exclusive?
You can determine if two events are mutually exclusive by calculating their joint probability; if P(A and B) = 0, the events are mutually exclusive.
If the probability of the intersection of events A and B is greater than zero, what can you conclude?
If P(A and B) > 0, you can conclude that the events are not mutually exclusive because there is a chance they can occur at the same time.