Probability

Probability

    • The concept of probability is difficult to define in precise terms. In ordinary language, the word probable means likely (or) chance. Generally the word, probability, is used to denote the happening of a certain event, and the likelihood of the occurrence of that event, based on past experiences. By looking at the clear sky, one will say that there will not be any rain today. On the other hand, by looking at the cloudy sky or overcast sky, one will say that there will be rain today. In the earlier sentence, we aim that there will not be rain and in the latter we expect rain.

    • On the other hand a mathematician says that the probability of rain is ‘0’ in the first case and that the probability of rain is ‘1’ in the second case. In between 0 and 1, there are fractions denoting the chance of the event occurring. In ordinary language, the word probability means uncertainty about happenings. In Mathematics and Statistics, a numerical measure of uncertainty is provided by the important branch of statistics – called theory of probability. Thus we can say, that the theory of probability describes certainty by 1 (one), impossibility by 0 (zero) and uncertainties by the co-efficient which lies between 0 and 1.

Last modified: Friday, 16 March 2012, 7:37 PM