How is the probability of two independent events A and B calculated?

The calculation of the probability of two independent events A and B relies on the fundamental principle that the occurrence of one event does not affect the occurrence of the other. For independent events, we determine the probability of both events occurring simultaneously by multiplying their individual probabilities.

Thus, the formula P(A ∩ B) = P(A)P(B) signifies that to find the probability of both A and B happening together, we can simply multiply the probability of event A by the probability of event B. This approach is solidly grounded in the definition of independent events, where knowing that one event has occurred gives no information about the other event's occurrence.

In contrast, the other options do not accurately represent the correct relationship for independent events. For example, the addition of probabilities is relevant for mutually exclusive events, not independent ones. The notation for the union of events isn’t applicable here. Additionally, using division in this context does not conform to how probabilities are meant to be calculated for independent events. Thus, option B is precisely the right approach for calculating the probability of the intersection of two independent events.