Probability textbook uses E_i to denote event that ith experiment succeeds. It then says that if for all i_1, i_2, ..., i_n holds equality P(E_i_1, E_i_2, ..., E_i_n) = P(E_i_1)P(E_i_2)...P(E_i_n), we say that the sequence of experiments consists of independent trials.