Mathematics

Grade 8 • Unit 14: Simple Events

LESSON 14.1
Experiments, Events, Sample Space, and Outcomes
Table of Contents

Introduction 1

Test Your Prerequisite Skills 2

DepEd Competency 2

Objectives 2

Warm-Up! 3

Learn about It! 4

Let’s Practice 6

Check Your Understanding 10

Key Points 11

Bibliography 11
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Grade 8 • Unit 14: Simple Events

Lesson 14.1
Experiments, Events, Sample Space,
and Outcomes

Fig. 1. Rainy Day

Introduction
In our daily life, there is always the likelihood that something will or will not happen under
certain circumstances. Having a vivid picture of the details of these activities will help you
make informed decisions. For instance, what do you think are the chances that it will rain
when you go outside? That is why it is better to always bring an umbrella.

In this lesson, you will study experiments, outcomes, sample spaces, and events in given

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Grade 8 • Unit 14: Simple Events

situations. Also, you will learn how to count and list the number of occurrences of an outcome
in an experiment.

Test Your Prerequisite Skills

Before you get started, answer the following items on a separate sheet of paper. This will help
you assess your prior knowledge and practice some skills that you will need in studying this
lesson. Show your complete solution.

A. Determine the possible outcomes of the following situations.

1. Flipping a coin
2. Rolling a die
3. Selecting an even number from 1 to 10
4. Selecting a primary color

DepEd Competency
At the end of the lesson, you should be able to count the number of occurrences
of an outcome in an experiment: (a) table; (b) tree diagram; (c) systematic listing;
and (d) fundamental counting principle (M8GE-IVf-g-1).

Objectives
At the end of this lesson, you should be able to do the following:

● Correctly identify the experiment, outcomes, sample space, and events in

a given situation.

● Accurately count and list the number of occurrences of an outcome in an

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Grade 8 • Unit 14: Simple Events

experiment.

Warm-Up!

New School Year’s Resolution!

Materials
● paper
● pen
● cartolina
● pentel pen

Instructions
1. Complete the table below based on the things that you want to accomplish for the
upcoming school year.

Activities Certainly Likely Unlikely Impossible

1. I will stop procrastinating.

2. I will commit myself to achieve

higher grades.
3. I will try to excel in a new extra-
curricular activity.
4. I will try to keep up with the
deadlines.
5. I will prepare for my tests diligently.
6. I will be more organized.

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Grade 8 • Unit 14: Simple Events

7. I will try to make new friends in

school.
8. I will participate more often in
recitations.
9. I will seek knowledge through
reading and researching.
10. I will set up a new positive sleeping
routine.

Learn about It!

In mathematics, activities like tossing a coin, drawing a card from a
standard deck of cards, and landing on a chosen area in spinning a
multicolored or multi-numbered spinner are activities that involve
the concept of chances. It deals with the likelihood or the degree of
certainty that something will happen. Words like certain, likely,
unlikely, or impossible are often used to describe the possibility of
occurrence.

Let us define more terms that would be useful later on as we progress in our lesson.

Essential Question
How do you differentiate outcomes from sample space?

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Grade 8 • Unit 14: Simple Events

Definition 1.1: Experiments are activities that would generate

an outcome but whose result we cannot be
really certain about.

An experiment is carried out to generate a set of data.

Definition 1.2: Outcomes are possible results of an

experiment.

Definition 1.3: Sample space is the set of all possible outcomes

of an experiment.

A sample space is usually designated by the letter 𝑺, indicating a set of data.

Definition 1.4: Events are one or more of the outcomes of an

experiment.

Events may also be thought of as a subset of the sample space.

Let us enumerate all the elements in a simple game of tossing coins.

Experiment: Tossing a coin

Outcomes: heads or tails
Sample space: {𝑇, 𝐻}

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Event: {𝑇} if the toss results into a tail, or {𝐻} if the toss results into a
head

Let us have more examples to illustrate these concepts.

Essential Question
How do you count and identify the number of events in a given experiment?

Let’s Practice
Example 1
A die is rolled, and the number 4 comes up. In this scenario, identify the experiment, the
outcomes, the sample space, and the event.

Solution
The experiment is the activity done to yield results. In this situation, the experiment is rolling
a die.

The outcomes are the results of the experiment. When a die is rolled, the number that shows
on top may be 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6.

The sample space is simply the set containing all the possible outcomes. Thus, this is the set
containing the numbers 1 to 6. Using the set notation, you can write it as

𝑺 = {𝟏, 𝟐, 𝟑, 𝟒, 𝟓, 𝟔}

The event is a specific outcome or combination of outcomes and is a subset of the sample

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Grade 8 • Unit 14: Simple Events

space. In this situation, the event is getting a 4.

We summarize these as follows:

Experiment: Rolling a die
Outcomes: Any of the numbers from 1 to 6
Sample space: {1, 2 ,3, 4, 5, 6}
Event: {4}

Try It Yourself!
A spinner is divided into seven equal parts. Each part is colored using the seven colors of
the spectrum. Suppose the pointer landed on the area colored red. Identify the
experiment, the outcomes, the sample space, and the event.

Example 2
A marble is to be randomly picked from a jar containing 1 red, 2 green, 1 blue, and 3 yellow
marbles. Suppose the marble picked is green. Identify the experiment, outcomes, sample
space, and event.

Solution
Using the same definitions for experiment, outcomes, sample space, and event, we have the
following elements for this situation:

Experiment: randomly picking a marble from the basket

Outcomes: Any of the colors red, green, blue, or yellow
Sample space: {red, green, blue, yellow}
Event: {green}

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Grade 8 • Unit 14: Simple Events

Try It Yourself!
Ben is asked to choose a fruit to buy. The fruit stand offers the following: apples, oranges,
ponkans, melons, mangoes, grapes, and bananas. Ben chose the melon. In this situation,
identify the experiment, outcomes, sample space, and event.

Example 3
Sam and Pao are playing Jack n’ Poy. Sam won when she chose a rock, and Pao chose scissors.

Solution
We have the following elements for this situation:
Experiment: Playing Jack n’ Poy
Outcome: Any two among rock, paper, and scissors
(rock, scissors), (rock, paper), (rock, rock),
Sample space: { (paper, rock), (paper, scissors), (paper, paper), }
(scissors, rock), (scissors, paper), (scissors, scissors)

Assume that the first element in each ordered pair represents the choice of Sam and the
second element represents the choice of Pao. Also, note that the order matters. For example,
(rock, scissors) is different from (scissors, rock). Hence,

Event: {rock, scissors}

Try It Yourself!
Sam and Pao are playing Jack n’ Poy. Sam chose scissors. What are the elements in the
situation given if Pao loses?

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Grade 8 • Unit 14: Simple Events

Real-World Problems
Example 4
Pearl is choosing an attire for a trip to the mall. Her
closet contains a tank top, two T-shirts (plain and
printed), a miniskirt, a long skirt, a pair of jeans, a pair
of sneakers, and a pair of boots. She chose to wear a
plain T-shirt with jeans and her sneakers.

Solution
Using the same definitions for experiment, outcomes, sample space, and event, we have the
following elements for this situation:
Experiment: Choosing an attire for a trip to the mall
Outcome: Any combination of a top, bottom, and shoes

Sample space:
(tank top, mini skirt, sneakers), (tank top, mini skirt, boots),
(tank top, long skirt, sneakers), (tank top, long skirt, boots),
(tank top, jeans, sneakers), (tank top, jeans, boots),
(plain T– shirt, mini skirt, sneakers ), (plain T– shirt, mini skirt, boots ),
(plain T– shirt, long skirt, sneakers), (plain T– shirt, long skirt, boots)
(plain T– shirt, jeans, sneakers), (plain T– shirt, jeans, boots),
(printed T– shirt, mini skirt, sneakers ), (printed T– shirt, mini skirt, boots ),
(printed T– shirt, long skirt, sneakers), (printed T– shirt, long skirt, boots)
{ (printed T– shirt, jeans, sneakers), (printed T– shirt, jeans, boots) }

Assume that the first element in each ordered triple represents Pearl’s choice of top, the
second element represents her choice of bottom, and the third element represents her choice
of shoes. So,

Event: {plain T– shirt, jeans, sneakers}

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Grade 8 • Unit 14: Simple Events

Try It Yourself!
What would be the new sample space for a selection of an attire if Pearl decided to buy a
new floral blouse from the mall?

Check Your Understanding

1. In a deck of cards numbered 1 to 20, Alvin was asked to randomly pick a card. He
picked number 8. What is the experiment?

2. What is the sample space in item 1?

3. Marina spun a roulette with 8 divisions numbered 1 to 8. The marker stopped at

7. What are the outcomes?

4. Patricia tossed two coins. Both coins landed on heads. What is the event?

5. The school canteen offers a student meal for a very reasonable price. The meal
should consist of two viands and rice. For the choice of viand, students may choose
among beef, chicken, and vegetables. Rina chose the combination of rice, chicken,
and vegetables. What is the sample space?

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Grade 8 • Unit 14: Simple Events

Key Points

• Experiments are activities that would generate an outcome but whose result cannot
be really determined about.
• Outcomes are the possible results of an experiment.
• Sample space is the set of all the possible outcomes of an experiment.
• Events are one or more of the outcomes of an experiment.

Bibliography
Almukkahal, Raja, et al. “Sample Spaces and Events.” cK-12. Retrieved 09 September 2019
from https://bit.ly/2Zto6uD

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