Probability is the measure of the likelihood that an event will occur in a given set of circumstances. It is the mathematical study of random events and is an important component of statistics. Probability theory is used to calculate the likelihood of an event occurring based on the conditions of the given set of circumstances. It is used in a variety of fields, including medicine, engineering, and finance.
The concept of probability has long been studied by mathematicians and scientists. In 1654, Blaise Pascal and Pierre de Fermat developed the first formal treatment of probability, which is known as the Pascal-Fermat theorem. This theorem states that if two events are independent, then the probability of both events occurring is the product of the probability of each event occurring. This theorem laid the foundation for the development of modern probability theory.
In the 19th century, the French mathematician Pierre-Simon Laplace formulated the first set of probability laws. These laws describe how probability is distributed among different events. Laplace’s laws are still used today in many fields, including economics and finance.
More recently, probability theory has been used to solve complex problems in fields such as machine learning and genetics. In machine learning, probability theory is used to determine the probability of an event occurring given certain inputs. In genetics, probability theory is used to calculate the probability of a certain gene being passed down through a family line.
Probability theory is a powerful tool for understanding the behavior of random events. It is used in a variety of fields to calculate the likelihood of an event occurring and to make predictions about future events.
References
Pascal, B., & Fermat, P. (1654). Pascal-Fermat theorem. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pascal%E2%80%93Fermat_theorem
Laplace, P.-S. (1812). A philosophical essay on probabilities. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Philosophical_Essay_on_Probabilities
Durrett, R. (2019). Probability: Theory and examples. Cambridge University Press.
Granville, V. (2015). Probability theory: An advanced course. Springer.
Mohri, M., Rostamizadeh, A., & Talwalkar, A. (2018). Foundations of machine learning. MIT Press.
Weiss, G. (2020). Introduction to genealogy and genetics. Oxford University Press.