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Disjoint/Mutually Exclusive Events

Definition

Disjoint or mutually exclusive events are events that cannot occur at the same time. If one event happens, the other event cannot happen simultaneously.

Analogy

Think of two people trying to use the same bathroom stall at once. Only one person can occupy the stall at a time, so they are mutually exclusive.

Related terms

Complementary Events: Two events that together cover all possible outcomes. For example, getting a head or getting a tail when flipping a coin.

Union of Events: The combination of two or more events. It includes all outcomes that belong to any of the individual events.

Intersection of Events: The common outcomes between two or more events. It includes only the outcomes that belong to all of the individual events.

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© 2024 Fiveable Inc. All rights reserved.

AP® and SAT® are trademarks registered by the College Board, which is not affiliated with, and does not endorse this website.