Prove Theorem: Probability of A Subset B is Less than B

In summary, the theorem states that if $A$ is a subset of $B$, then the probability of $A$ is less than or equal to the probability of $B$, and the probability of $B-A$ is equal to the difference between the probability of $B$ and the probability of $A$. To prove this, we use three axioms of probability: non-negativity, certainty, and additivity. We also utilize the fact that $P(B-A)$ can be rewritten as $P(B\cap A')$. By representing $B$ as the union of $(B-A)$ and $A$, we can use axiom 3 to show that $P(B-A) = P(B\cap A') =
  • #1
Guest2
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How do I prove the following theorem?

If $A \subset B$ then $P(A) \le P(B)$ and $P(B-A) = P(B)-P(A)$

$A$ and $B$ are events and $P$ is the probability function.

What I tried (but not sure if it's right or not):

$P(B) = P((B\setminus A) \cup (B \cap A)) = P(B\setminus A)+P(B \cap A) \ge 0+P(B \cap A) \ge P(A) $

Therefore $P(B) - P(A) \ge 0$. Hence $P(B) \ge P(A)$.
 
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  • #2
Guest said:
How do I prove the following theorem?

If $A \subset B$ then $P(A) \le P(B)$ and $P(B-A) = P(B)-P(A)$

$A$ and $B$ are events and $P$ is the probability function.

What I tried (but not sure if it's right or not):

$P(B) = P((B\setminus A) \cup (B \cap A)) = P(B\setminus A)+P(B \cap A) \ge 0+P(B \cap A) \ge P(A) $

Therefore $P(B) - P(A) \ge 0$. Hence $P(B) \ge P(A)$.

Hi Guest! ;)

It looks right to me.
You may want to list the axioms you're using though.
There is some context missing, which is different in every textbook on the subject.
 
  • #3
I like Serena said:
Hi Guest! ;)

It looks right to me.
You may want to list the axioms you're using though.
There is some context missing, which is different in every textbook on the subject.
Hi, I like Serena. :D Thanks for the reply.

I'm using the following three axioms:

Axiom 1: For every event $A$ in the class $C$,

$$P(A) \ge 0$$

Axiom 2: For the sure or certain event $S$ in the class $C$,

$$P(S) = 1$$

Axiom 3: For any number of mutually exclusive events $A_1, A_2,\cdots$, in the class C,

$$P(A_1 \cup A_2 \cup \cdots) = P(A_1)+P(A_2) +\cdots $$

How do I prove the second part of the theorem?

I know that $P(B-A) = P(B \cap A')$ but I don't know how to turn the intersection into union so that I can use axiom 3.
 
  • #4
How about $B=(B-A)\cup A$?
 

FAQ: Prove Theorem: Probability of A Subset B is Less than B

What is a subset?

A subset is a set that contains elements that are also found in a larger set.

What is a probability?

Probability is a measure of the likelihood of an event occurring. It is expressed as a number between 0 and 1, where 0 represents impossibility and 1 represents certainty.

How do you prove a theorem?

To prove a theorem, you must use logical reasoning and mathematical principles to show that a statement is true. This often involves using definitions, axioms, and previously proven theorems to build a logical argument.

How is the probability of a subset B less than B?

The probability of a subset B being less than B is a result of the relationship between the number of elements in B and the total number of elements in the sample space. Since a subset contains fewer elements than the sample space, the probability of a subset is always less than the probability of the sample space.

Can you provide an example of the theorem in action?

Yes, for example, let's say we have a bag of 10 marbles, with 6 red marbles and 4 blue marbles. The probability of selecting a red marble is 6/10 or 0.6. Now, if we define a subset A as the set of all red marbles, the probability of selecting a marble from subset A is 6/10 or 0.6. Since A is a subset of the sample space (the bag of marbles), the probability of A is less than the probability of the sample space (0.6 vs 1).

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