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This lesson explains mutually exclusive events and the addition rule for probability, as set out in the AQA GCSE Mathematics specification. You will learn what it means for events to be mutually exclusive, how to use the addition rule P(A or B) = P(A) + P(B), and how exhaustive events relate to the complement rule.
Two events are mutually exclusive if they cannot happen at the same time. When one occurs, the other is impossible.
| Events | Mutually Exclusive? | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Rolling a 2 and rolling a 5 on one die | Yes | A single die shows only one number |
| Picking a red card and picking a heart from a pack of cards | No | Hearts are red — both can happen together |
| Getting heads and getting tails on one coin flip | Yes | A coin can only show one side |
| Choosing a boy and choosing someone who wears glasses | No | A boy could wear glasses |
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