A dependent event occurs when the outcome of one event affects the outcome of another. For example, if you draw a card from a deck and do not replace it, the probability of drawing a second card changes based on the first card drawn. This means the two events are linked, and the first event influences the second. In probability, understanding dependent events is crucial for accurate calculations. If you have a bag containing red balls and blue balls, drawing a ball changes the total number of balls left. Thus, the likelihood of drawing a specific color on subsequent draws depends on the previous draws.