Probable and Possible
By adel09
@adel09 (488)
Philippines
3 responses
@owlwings (43897)
• Cambridge, England
13 Jul 10
The difference between them is mainly in 'likelihood'. If I say that there are 'several possible reasons for the economic crisis', I am not implying that any one of them necessarily is a reason (or one of the reasons). If I say that the 'probable reason for the economic crisis is the trading of bad loans', I am suggesting that it is very likely (but not entirely certain) that the trading of bad loans is the cause.
In mathematics, the probability of something happening is expressed as a fraction with 1 representing complete certainty and 0 representing no chance of it happening at all (impossibility!).
If I toss a coin, it is possible for it to land with either 'heads' or 'tails' upwards but both are equally likely and neither one is more probable than the other.
2 people like this
@owlwings (43897)
• Cambridge, England
4 Aug 10
I somehow missed your question when you posted it and didn't see it until you gave BR (for which I thank you).
If we say that something will probably happen then we mean that it is more likely than not that it will happen. The following sentences express increasing degrees of likelihood but are, nevertheless, not mathematically accurate and are really only degrees of confidence:
[i]It definitely won't (= will not) rain today. It's impossible because there is no cloud!
It's very unlikely to rain today.
It probably won't rain today. = It may rain today but it's unlikely.
There is a slight possibility of rain today.
There is a distinct possibility of rain today.
It will probably rain today.
It's certain to rain today.[/i]
From this you can see that 'probable/probably' tends to mean a stronger certainty than 'possible/possibly'.
Historically 'probable' is related to the words 'probe' and 'prove'. It means (or originally meant) 'that which can be proved'.
'Possible' comes from the Latin word 'posse' meaning 'to be able' and is still used in that sense: 'It is possible for this car to reach 100 mph' is the same thing as 'This car is able to travel at 100 mph'. One might add: "... but on this road it is probably too dangerous!"
1 person likes this
@deserthabitant (74)
• United States
17 Jul 10
Possible: It can be done Probable: It will be done, consider the phrase "Possible but not probable" which means it can be done but probably won't be done.
@kalav56 (11464)
• India
13 Jul 10
I will give you a simple example--
Take my response and your thought about this--you can think that it is possible for me to respond[I can do it/I have the ability and mindset to do it'
On the other hand , it is not necessaily probable that I would respond.-I may or may not do it.
