conditional probability
Americannoun
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Statistics, Mathematics. the probability that an event will occur under the condition that another event occurs first: equal to the probability that both will occur divided by the probability that the first will occur.
noun
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statistics the probability of one event, A, occurring given that another, B, is already known to have occurred: written P ( A|B ) and equal to P ( A and B )| P ( B )
Etymology
Origin of conditional probability
First recorded in 1960–65
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
This is a conditional probability, so consider only probabilities in the row labeled "Caught."
From Textbooks • Mar. 27, 2020
The probability of picking the three of diamonds is called a conditional probability because it is conditioned on what was picked first.
From Textbooks • Nov. 29, 2017
Write your answer as a conditional probability statement.
From Textbooks • Sep. 19, 2013
Either C would be pardoned or himself, so by all the laws of conditional probability, his chances of survival had gone up from 1/3 to 1/2.
From Scientific American • Apr. 15, 2011
The conditional probability that someone speaks English, given that he or she is an American citizen, on the other hand, is probably about 19Ao or .95.
From "Innumeracy: Mathematical Illiteracy and Its Consequences" by John Allen Paulos
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.