Probabilities Sum to One
Understand that when all possible outcomes of a trial are listed, their probabilities must add up to 1; use this to find the probability of an event NOT happening: P(not A) = 1 − P(A); apply this shortcut to avoid counting all unfavourable outcomes directly
Teaching approaches
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1 approach
If the probability of it raining tomorrow is 0.3, can your child work out the probability of it NOT raining — and explain why all probabilities in a situation must add up to 1?
Understand that when all possible outcomes of a trial are listed, their probabilities must add up to 1; use this to find the probability of an event NOT happening: P(not A) = 1 − P(A); apply this shortcut to avoid counting all unfavourable outcomes directly
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Check understanding
- List all outcomes of spinning a 4-colour spinner and verify their probabilities add up to 1
- Calculate P(not rolling a 3) as 1 − 1/6 = 5/6 using the complement rule
- Spot an error in a probability table where the values don't sum to 1 and explain what's wrong
“If the probability of it raining tomorrow is 0.3, can your child work out the probability of it NOT raining — and explain why all probabilities in a situation must add up to 1?”
Curriculum record
- Type
- Conceptual
- Subject
- Mathematics
- Domain
- Probability
- Age range
- Ages 10–11