Lukas' Notes

probability-theory

Definition

Possible Outcome

A possible outcome is a complete result admitted by the model of a random experiment, whether or not that result occurs in a particular trial. For a sample space ,

The sample space is therefore precisely the set of all possible outcomes.

Probability of a Possible Outcome

Warning

Possible does not necessarily mean positive probability. In a continuous model, an individual possible outcome may have probability zero even though it belongs to the sample space.

Examples

Rolling a die

For an ordinary six-sided die, . Each face value is a possible outcome before a roll, although only one becomes the realised outcome.