Understanding independent and dependent events can be much easier with some simple examples from our daily lives.

Independent Events

Independent events are situations where what happens in one event doesn’t change what happens in another event.

A good example is flipping a coin and rolling a die.

• Example:
  • Coin flip: You can get Heads or Tails.
  • Die roll: You can roll a 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6.

If you flip the coin first and it lands on Heads, that doesn't change the chances of rolling a certain number on the die. Each event happens on its own.

Dependent Events

Dependent events are different. In these cases, the outcome of one event affects what happens in another event.

• Example:
  • Drawing cards from a deck:
    • If you draw one card and don’t put it back, the chances for the next draw changes.
    • First Draw: You might draw an Ace (which there are 4 of in a deck of 52).
    • Second Draw: If you have already drawn one Ace, there are now only 3 Aces left, and only 51 cards total. So, the chances become 3 out of 51.

These examples show how the chances of things happening can change based on whether the events are independent or dependent. This makes it easier to understand how probability works!