Mutually exclusive events

Mutually exclusive events are events that cannot occur at the same time. In other words, the occurrence of one event excludes the occurrence of the other. Here are some examples:

1. Tossing a Coin: When you toss a coin, it can either land on heads or tails. It cannot land on both at the same time. Therefore, getting a head and getting a tail are mutually exclusive events.
2. Drawing a Card from a Deck: Drawing a card from a standard deck of 52 cards can result in a heart, club, diamond, or spade. Picking a heart and picking a club at the same time is impossible, hence they are mutually exclusive.
3. Rolling a Die: Rolling a die can result in 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6. Getting a 3 and getting a 5 on the same roll are mutually exclusive events.
4. Traffic Lights: For traffic flow at an intersection, the lights for going straight and turning left are mutually exclusive. When the light for going straight is green, the light for turning left has to be red, and vice versa.
5. Animal Classification: A single animal being a mammal and a bird at the same time are mutually exclusive events, as an animal cannot be both at the same time.
6. Choosing an Answer on a Multiple-Choice Test: On a multiple-choice question, choosing answer A and answer B are mutually exclusive events, as you can only choose one answer.
7. Being Accepted or Rejected for a Job: If you apply for a job, you will either be accepted or rejected. You can’t be both accepted and rejected at the same time. So, these two events are mutually exclusive.
8. Basketball Shot: In a basketball game, when a player shoots the ball, it either goes in the hoop or it doesn’t. So, these two events are mutually exclusive.
9. Day of the Week: Today being Monday and Tuesday are mutually exclusive events, as a day cannot be both Monday and Tuesday at the same time. So, these two events are mutually exclusive.
10. Passing or Failing a Test: When you take a test, you can either pass or fail, but you can’t do both. So, these two events are mutually exclusive.
11. Winning or Losing a Game: In a game or a match, you can either win or lose. You can’t win and lose at the same time. So, these two events are mutually exclusive.