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Abstract

The basic concepts of the theory of probability, frequently applied in engineering and scientific tasks, are best illustrated by practical examples. Fundamental terms like “experiment”, “random event” and “sample space” are supplemented by descriptions of the common relations between random events. The key notion of probability is defined, taking into account historical approaches and practical interpretations related to engineering and scientific applications. The basic rules for the calculation of probability are illustrated by numerical examples. The essential concept of conditional probability is clarified in detail and was used to develop the Bayes’ theorem. Various applications of the theorem are demonstrated by examples taken from engineering. An extension of the Bayes’ theorem is used to develop operational procedures for probability updating.

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Holický, M. (2013). Basic Concepts of Probability. In: Introduction to Probability and Statistics for Engineers. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-38300-7_2

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