# Sports statistics

• Apr 26th 2012, 10:25 AM
Hannabella
Sports statistics
The outcome of each Lakers game is independent and they have a probability of 0.76 of winning.

What is the probability that the Lakers will win their next 3 games?
If the Lakers won their last two games, what is the probability that they will win their next game? Why?
• Apr 26th 2012, 10:51 AM
HallsofIvy
Re: Sports statistics
Well, what do you know about probability? For example, if A and B are independent events, what is the probability of "A and B"? That's a pretty fundamental property- in fact, it is part of the definition of "independent" so if you know that word, you should know the formula. The second problem is even easier- again it is a fundamental property of "independent".

So, if you don't know what "independent" events are- you should look it up!
• Apr 26th 2012, 10:57 AM
Hannabella
Re: Sports statistics
I know what "independent" events are, they're where the outcome of one doesn't affect the other. I just can't figure out how to apply that to this problem, because the .76 is messing me up.
• Apr 26th 2012, 06:33 PM
BrownianMan
Re: Sports statistics
Quote:

Originally Posted by Hannabella
I know what "independent" events are, they're where the outcome of one doesn't affect the other. I just can't figure out how to apply that to this problem, because the .76 is messing me up.

Are you familiar with the following definition of independence?

Two events, A and B, are independent if and only if $P(A\cap B)=P(A)\cdot P(B)$. More generally, $A_{1},A_{2},...,A_{n}$ are independent if and only if

$P\left ( \bigcap_{i=1}^{n} A_{i} \right)=\prod_{i=1}^{n}P(A_{i})$
• Apr 26th 2012, 07:21 PM
highvoltage
Re: Sports statistics
Remember with "ands" you multiply and with "ors" you add. Since these events are independent "and" events 1 and 2 and 3 then we multiply .76 x .76 x .76 to obtain the probability of winning all three games.

If the Lakers won their last two games then this doesn't change the probability of the next game that they play as the events are independent of each other. The probability of winning the next game is .76.