Probability Questions with Solutions

Tutorial on finding the probability of an event. In what follows, S is the sample space of the experiment in question and E is the event of interest. n(S) is the number of elements in the sample space S and n(E) is the number of elements in the event E. Question 1: A die is rolled, find the probability that an even number is obtained. Solution to Question 1:

Let us first write the sample space S of the experiment. S = {1,2,3,4,5,6}

Let E be the event "an even number is obtained" and write it down. E = {2,4,6}

We now use the formula of the classical probability. P(E) = n(E) / n(S) = 3 / 6 = 1 / 2

Question 2: Two coins are tossed, find the probability that two heads are obtained. Note: Each coin has two possible outcomes H (heads) and T (Tails). Solution to Question 2:

The sample space S is given by. S = {(H,T),(H,H),(T,H),(T,T)}

Let E be the event "two heads are obtained". E = {(H,H)}

We use the formula of the classical probability. P(E) = n(E) / n(S) = 1 / 4

Question 3: Which of these numbers cannot be a probability? a) -0.00001 b) 0.5 c) 1.001 d) 0 e) 1 f) 20% Solution to Question 3:

A probability is always greater than or equal to 0 and less than or equal to 1, hence only a)and c) above cannot represent probabilities: -0.00010 is less than 0 and 1.001 is greater than 1.

Question 4: Two dice are rolled, find the probability that the sum is a) equal to 1 b) equal to 4 c) less than 13 Solution to Question 4:

a) The sample space S of two dice is shown below. S = { (1,1),(1,2),(1,3),(1,4),(1,5),(1,6) (2,1),(2,2),(2,3),(2,4),(2,5),(2,6) (3,1),(3,2),(3,3),(3,4),(3,5),(3,6) (4,1),(4,2),(4,3),(4,4),(4,5),(4,6) (5,1),(5,2),(5,3),(5,4),(5,5),(5,6) (6,1),(6,2),(6,3),(6,4),(6,5),(6,6) }

Let E be the event "sum equal to 1". There are no outcomes which correspond to a sum equal to 1, hence

P(E) = n(E) / n(S) = 0 / 36 = 0

b) Three possible ouctcomes give a sum equal to 4: E = {(1,3),(2,2),(3,1)}, hence. P(E) = n(E) / n(S) = 3 / 36 = 1 / 12

c) All possible ouctcomes, E = S, give a sum less than 13, hence. P(E) = n(E) / n(S) = 36 / 36 = 1

Question 5: A die is rolled and a coin is tossed, find the probability that the die shows an odd number and the coin shows a head. Solution to Question 5:

The sample space S of the experiment described in question 5 is as follows S = { (1,H),(2,H),(3,H),(4,H),(5,H),(6,H) (1,T),(2,T),(3,T),(4,T),(5,T),(6,T)}

Let E be the event "the die shows an odd number and the coin shows a head". Event E may be described as follows E={(1,H),(3,H),(5,H)}

The probability P(E) is given by P(E) = n(E) / n(S) = 3 / 12 = 1 / 4

Question 6: A card is drawn at random from a deck of cards. Find the probability of getting the 3 of diamond. Solution to Question 6:

The sample space S of the experiment in question 6 is shwon below

Let E be the event "getting the 3 of diamond". An examination of the sample space shows that there is one "3 of diamond" so that n(E) = 1 and n(S) = 52. Hence the probability of event E occuring is given by P(E) = 1 / 52

Question 7: A card is drawn at random from a deck of cards. Find the probability of getting a queen. Solution to Question 7:

The sample space S of the experiment in question 7 is shwon above (see question 6) Let E be the event "getting a Queen". An examination of the sample space shows that there are 4 "Queens" so that n(E) = 4 and n(S) = 52. Hence the probability of event E occuring is given by

P(E) = 4 / 52 = 1 / 13 Question 8: A jar contains 3 red marbles, 7 green marbles and 10 white marbles. If a marble is drawn from the jar at random, what is the probability that this marble is white? Solution to Question 8:

We first construct a table of frequencies that gives the marbles color distributions as follows color red green white frequency 3 7 10

We now use the empirical formula of the probability Frequency for white color P(E)=
________________________________________________

Total frequencies in the above table

= 10 / 20 = 1 / 2 Question 9: The blood groups of 200 people is distributed as follows: 50 have type A blood, 65 have B blood type, 70 have O blood type and 15 have type AB blood. If a person from this group is selected at random, what is the probability that this person has O blood type? Solution to Question 9:

We construct a table of frequencies for the the blood groups as follows group frequency a 50

B O AB

65 70 15

We use the empirical formula of the probability Frequency for O blood P(E)=
________________________________________________

Total frequencies

= 70 / 200 = 0.35 Exercises: a) A die is rolled, find the probability that the number obtained is greater than 4. b) Two coins are tossed, find the probability that one head only is obtained. c) Two dice are rolled, find the probability that the sum is equal to 5. d) A card is drawn at random from a deck of cards. Find the probability of getting the King of heart. Answers to above exercises: a) 2 / 6 = 1 / 3 b) 2 / 4 = 1 / 2 c) 4 / 36 = 1 / 9 d) 1 / 52

1.

Tickets numbered 1 to 20 are mixed up and then a ticket is drawn at random. What is the probability that the ticket drawn has a number which is a multiple of 3 or 5? A. 1 B. 2

2 C. 8 15 D.

5 9 20

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A bag contains 2 red, 3 green and 2 blue balls. Two balls are drawn at random. What is the probability that none of the balls drawn is blue? A. 10 21 2 7 B. 11 21 5 7

C.

D.

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In a box, there are 8 red, 7 blue and 6 green balls. One ball is picked up randomly. What is the probability that it is neither red nor green? A. 1 3 7 19 9 21 B. 3 4 8 21

C.

D.

E.

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What is the probability of getting a sum 9 from two throws of a dice? A. 1 6 1 9 B. 1 8 1 12

C.

D.

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Three unbiased coins are tossed. What is the probability of getting at most two heads? A. 3 4 3 8 B. 1 4 7 8

C.

D.

View Answer Workspace Report Discuss in Forum 6. Two dice are thrown simultaneously. What is the probability of getting two numbers whose product is even?

A.

1 2 3 8

B.

3 4 5 16

C.

D.

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In a class, there are 15 boys and 10 girls. Three students are selected at random. The probability that 1 girl and 2 boys are selected, is: A. 21 46 1 50 B. 25 117 3 25

C.

D.

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In a lottery, there are 10 prizes and 25 blanks. A lottery is drawn at random. What is the probability of getting a prize? A. 1 10 2 7 B. 2 5 5 7

C.

D.

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From a pack of 52 cards, two cards are drawn together at random. What is the probability of both the cards being kings? A. 1 15 35 256 B. 25 57 1 221

C.

D.

View Answer Workspace Report Discuss in Forum 10. Two dice are tossed. The probability that the total score is a prime number is: A. 1 6 1 2 B. 5 12 7 9

C.

D.

View Answer Workspace Report Discuss in Forum 11. A card is drawn from a pack of 52 cards. The probability of getting a queen of club or a king of heart is:

A.

1 13 1 26

B.

2 13 1 52

C.

D.

View Answer Workspace Report Discuss in Forum 12. A bag contains 4 white, 5 red and 6 blue balls. Three balls are drawn at random from the bag. The probability that all of them are red, is: A. 1 22 2 91 B. 3 22 2 77

C.

D.

View Answer Workspace Report Discuss in Forum 13. Two cards are drawn together from a pack of 52 cards. The probability that one is a spade and one is a heart, is: A. 3 20 47 100 B. 29 34 13 102

C.

D.

View Answer Workspace Report Discuss in Forum 14. One card is drawn at random from a pack of 52 cards. What is the probability that the card drawn is a face card (Jack, Queen and King only)? A. 1 13 1 4 B. 3 13 9 52

C.

D.

View Answer Workspace Report Discuss in Forum 15. A bag contains 6 black and 8 white balls. One ball is drawn at random. What is the probability that the ball drawn is white? A. 3 4 1 8 B. 4 7 3 7

C.

D.

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Tickets numbered 1 to 20 are mixed up and then a ticket is drawn at random. What is the probability that the ticket drawn has a number which is a multiple of 3 or 5?

A. B. C. D.

1/2 2/5 8/15 9/20

View Answer

A bag contains 2 red, 3 green and 2 blue balls. Two balls are drawn at random. What is the probability that none of the balls drawn is blue?

A. B. C. D.

10/21 11/21 2/7 5/7

View Answer

In a box, there are 8 red, 7 blue and 6 green balls. One ball is picked up randomly. What is the probability that it is neither red nor green?

A. B. C. D. E.

1/3 3/4 7/19 8/21 9/21

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What is the probability of getting a sum 9 from two throws of a dice?

A. B. C. D.

1/6 1/8 1/9 1/12

View Answer

Three unbiased coins are tossed. What is the probability of getting at most two heads?

A. B. C. D.

3/4 1/4 3/8 7/8

Two dice are thrown simultaneously. What is the probability of getting two numbers whose product is even?

A. B. C. D.

1/2 3/4 3/8 5/16

View Answer

In a class, there are 15 boys and 10 girls. Three students are selected at random. The probability that 1 girl and 2 boys are selected, is:

A. B. C. D.

21/46 25/117 1/50 3/25

View Answer

In a lottery, there are 10 prizes and 25 blanks. A lottery is drawn at random. What is the probability of getting a prize?

A. B. C. D.

1/10 2/5 2/7 5/7

View Answer

From a pack of 52 cards, two cards are drawn together at random. What is the probability of both the cards being kings?

A. B. C. D.

1/15 25/57 35/256 1/221

View Answer

Two dice are tossed. The probability that the total score is a prime number is:

A. B. C. D.

1/6 5/12 1/2 7/9

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A card is drawn from a pack of 52 cards. The probability of getting a queen of club or a king of heart is:

A. B. C. D.

1/13 2/13 1/26 1/52

View Answer

A bag contains 4 white, 5 red and 6 blue balls. Three balls are drawn at random from the bag. The probability that all of them are red, is:

A. B. C. D.

1/22 3/22 2/91 2/77

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Two cards are drawn together from a pack of 52 cards. The probability that one is a spade and one is a heart, is:

A. B. C. D.

3/20 29/34 47/100 13/102

View Answer

One card is drawn at random from a pack of 52 cards. What is the probability that the card drawn is a face card (Jack, Queen and King only)?

A. B. C. D.

1/13 3/13 1/4 9/52

View Answer

A bag contains 6 black and 8 white balls. One ball is drawn at random. What is the probability that the ball drawn is white?

A. B. C. D.

3/4 4/7 1/8 3/7