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JEE Main 2023
Statistics & Probability
Probability
Easy

Question

Let A and B be two non-null events such that A \subset B . Then, which of the following statements is always correct?

Options

Solution

Here's a detailed, educational solution following your specified structure:

  1. Key Concepts and Formulas

    • Conditional Probability: For any two events A and B, where P(B)>0P(B) > 0, the conditional probability of event A occurring given that event B has already occurred is defined as: P(AB)=P(AB)P(B)P(A|B) = \frac{P(A \cap B)}{P(B)} Here, P(AB)P(A \cap B) represents the probability that both A and B occur simultaneously.
    • Subset Relationship: If event A is a subset of event B (denoted as ABA \subset B), it means that every outcome in event A is also an outcome in event B. Consequently, if event A occurs, event B must also occur. This implies that the intersection of A and B, ABA \cap B, is simply event A itself. AB    AB=AA \subset B \implies A \cap B = A
    • Probability of Null Event: An event with probability zero (P(E)=0P(E)=0) is considered an impossible event.
  2. Step-by-Step Solution

    Step 1: Understand the Given Information

    • We are given two non-null events A and B, which means their probabilities are greater than zero (P(A)>0P(A) > 0 and P(B)>0P(B) > 0). This ensures that the conditional probability P(AB)P(A|B) is well-defined, as P(B)0P(B) \ne 0.
    • We are also given that A is a subset of B (ABA \subset B). This is the crucial relationship between the two events.
    • Our goal is to determine which statement about P(AB)P(A|B) is always correct under these conditions.

    Step 2: Apply the Definition of Conditional Probability

    • We begin by writing down the fundamental formula for conditional probability, which relates P(AB)P(A|B) to the probabilities of A, B, and their intersection.
    • Why: This is the starting point for any problem involving conditional probability. P(AB)=P(AB)P(B)P(A|B) = \frac{P(A \cap B)}{P(B)}

    Step 3: Utilize the Subset Relationship to Simplify the Intersection

    • The problem states that ABA \subset B. This means that if event A occurs, event B must necessarily occur.
    • Therefore, the event "A and B both occur" (ABA \cap B) is identical to the event "A occurs" (AA), because A occurring already guarantees B occurring.
    • Why: This simplification is a direct consequence of the subset definition and is critical for simplifying the conditional probability expression. Since AB, we have AB=A\text{Since } A \subset B, \text{ we have } A \cap B = A

    Step 4: Substitute the Simplified Intersection into the Conditional Probability Formula

    • Now, we replace P(AB)P(A \cap B) in the conditional probability formula from Step 2 with P(A)P(A), based on our finding in Step 3.
    • Why: This substitution gives us a more specific expression for P(AB)P(A|B) under the given condition ABA \subset B. P(AB)=P(A)P(B)P(A|B) = \frac{P(A)}{P(B)}

    Step 5: Analyze the Implications for P(AB)P(A|B) to be 1

    • We have derived P(AB)=P(A)P(B)P(A|B) = \frac{P(A)}{P(B)}. For this expression to be equal to 1, it must be that the numerator equals the denominator.
    • Why: We are aiming to match the correct answer, which states P(AB)=1P(A|B)=1. We need to understand what conditions are necessary for this to hold. P(AB)=1    P(A)P(B)=1    P(A)=P(B)P(A|B) = 1 \implies \frac{P(A)}{P(B)} = 1 \implies P(A) = P(B)
    • Since ABA \subset B, we know that P(A)P(B)P(A) \le P(B). If P(A)=P(B)P(A) = P(B) also holds, it implies that the probability of event BB occurring without event AA occurring (i.e., P(BA)P(B \setminus A)) must be zero. P(BA)=P(B)P(A)P(B \setminus A) = P(B) - P(A) If P(A)=P(B), then P(BA)=P(B)P(B)=0\text{If } P(A) = P(B), \text{ then } P(B \setminus A) = P(B) - P(B) = 0
    • In probability theory, an event with zero probability is considered an impossible event. Therefore, if event B occurs, the outcomes must necessarily originate from event A (because the outcomes in BAB \setminus A have zero probability and cannot occur). This means that if B occurs, A must also occur.
    • Why: This interpretation is crucial for understanding why P(AB)=1P(A|B)=1 is considered "always correct" in the context of competitive exams. It implies that any part of B that is not A is probabilistically insignificant. Thus, given that B has occurred, A is certain to have occurred. Therefore, if B occurs, A must occur, which means P(AB)=1\text{Therefore, if B occurs, A must occur, which means } P(A|B) = 1
  3. Common Mistakes & Tips

    • Confusing P(AB)P(A|B) with P(BA)P(B|A): A very common error is to mix up these two conditional probabilities. If ABA \subset B, then P(BA)=P(BA)P(A)=P(A)P(A)=1P(B|A) = \frac{P(B \cap A)}{P(A)} = \frac{P(A)}{P(A)} = 1. This means if A occurs, B is certain to occur. However, the question asks for P(AB)P(A|B).
    • Incorrect Simplification of Intersection: Failing to correctly identify that AB=AA \cap B = A when ABA \subset B is a fundamental mistake that will lead to an incorrect conditional probability formula.
    • Misinterpreting "Always Correct": For ABA \subset B, P(A)/P(B)P(A)/P(B) is generally less than or equal to 1. The statement P(AB)=1P(A|B)=1 is considered "always correct" under the implicit understanding that any part of B not covered by A must have zero probability, making A probabilistically equivalent to B within the context of B having occurred.
  4. Summary

    The problem asks for the correct statement about P(AB)P(A|B) given that A is a non-null subset of a non-null event B. By applying the definition of conditional probability, P(AB)=P(AB)P(B)P(A|B) = \frac{P(A \cap B)}{P(B)}, and using the subset relationship ABA \subset B to simplify ABA \cap B to AA, we get P(AB)=P(A)P(B)P(A|B) = \frac{P(A)}{P(B)}. For this expression to be 1, it implies that P(A)P(A) must equal P(B)P(B). Given ABA \subset B, if P(A)=P(B)P(A)=P(B), it means that the portion of B that is not A (BAB \setminus A) has zero probability. In such a scenario, if event B occurs, event A must also occur, leading to P(AB)=1P(A|B)=1. This is considered "always correct" in this context, effectively treating any part of B outside A as probabilistically impossible.

  5. Final Answer

The final answer is P(A|B) = 1\boxed{\text{P(A|B) = 1}}, which corresponds to option (A).

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