Probability (electric circuit) - need confirmation of my solution

AI Thread Summary
The discussion centers on calculating the probability of a current break in an electric circuit with five independent elements, each having specific failure probabilities. The initial attempt incorrectly used the union of B elements instead of the intersection, leading to confusion. The correct formulation for the probability of a current break is P(A_1 ∪ [B_1 ∩ B_2 ∩ B_3] ∪ A_2). Participants clarified the correct use of union and intersection in the probability expressions. The thread concludes with acknowledgment of the corrections made to the initial solution approach.
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Homework Statement


Electric circuit (as shown in the picture), is made from five elements. Failures of elements are independent, with probabilites: A_1-0.6, B_1-0.4, B_2-0.7, B_3-0.9 and A_2-0.5. Find the probabilty of current break, between M and N.
attachment.php?attachmentid=26624&stc=1&d=1277294014.gif


Homework Equations


For independent events:

P(A\cap B] = P(A)\cdot P(B)
P(A\cup B] = P(A) + P(B) - P(A)\cdot P(B)

The Attempt at a Solution


Current will be break, when any of the A element fail, or if all of the B elements fail. So probabilty of the current break is: A_1 \cap\left[B_1\cup B_2\cup B_3\right]\cap A_2.

So:

B = B_1\cup B_2\cup B_3 = B_1\cdot B_2\cdot B_3

And, finaly, probability is:

A_1 \cap\left[B_1\cup B_2\cup B_3\right]\cap A_2 = A_1 \cap B\cap A_2 = A_1 + A_2 + B - A_1\cdot B - A_1\cdot A_2 - A_2\cdot B + A_1\cdot A_2 \cdot B.

Is that correct ?
 

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That's not correct.

First, give me the correct information. When the current will break?

I ask you this because you said that ALL of B need to fail, and then you write B1 U B2 U B3.
 
I see...so, formula must be:

A_1\cup \left[ B_1\cap B_2 \cap B_3 \right] \cup A_2

instead of

A_1\cap \left[ B_1\cup B_2 \cup B_3 \right] \cap A_2 ?
 
Yes, that's true.

Now try again, and use P(A_1\cup \left[ B_1\cap B_2 \cap B_3 \right] \cup A_2)
 
Last edited:
njama said:
Yes, that's true.

Now try again, and use P(A_1\cap \left[ B_1\cup B_2 \cup B_3 \right] \cap A_2)
Don't you mean P(A_1\cup \left[ B_1\cap B_2 \cap B_3 \right] \cup A_2)
?
I think you just grabbed the wrong tex expression.
 
Mark44 said:
Don't you mean P(A_1\cup \left[ B_1\cap B_2 \cap B_3 \right] \cup A_2)
?
I think you just grabbed the wrong tex expression.

Yes, that's right. Thanks for the correction. I replaced \cup with \cap and vice versa.
 
njama said:
Yes, that's right. Thanks for the correction. I replaced \cup with \cap and vice versa.

Thank you both, Njama & Mark44.
 

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