PROBABILITY

Note: (a) If there are two events A & B

(i) At least one of A or B (A or B) = P(AUB) (ii) A and B = A ∩ B

(iii) A but not B = A ∩ B or B but not A = A ∩ B iv) Neither A nor B = A ∩ B

(v) Exactly one of A and B = ( A ∩ B ) ∪ ( A ∩B )= p ( A ) + P ( B )−2 P ( A ∩B)

(vi) Occurrence of A only  P( A ∩ B)= P ( A )−P( A ∩ B) OR

Occurrence of B only  P( A ∩ B)= P ( B )−P( A ∩ B)

(b) If there are three events A, B and C

(i) At least one of A, B or C  P( A ∪ B ∪C) ii) All three  P( A ∩ B ∩C)

iii) Exactly two = ( A ∩ B ∩C ) ∪ ( A ∩ B∩ C ) ∪( A ∩ B ∩C)

# Addition theorem: P ( A ∪ B )=P ( A ) + P ( B ) −P( A ∩ B) , if A and B are mutually exclusive events,

then P ( A ∪ B )=P ( A ) + P ( B )

1. The probability that a person will get an electric contract is 2 /5 and the probability that he will not get
plumbing contract is 4/7. The probability of getting at least one contract is 2/3. What is probability that
he will get both (17/105)
2. A basket contains 20 apples and 10 oranges out of which 5 apples and 3 oranges are defective. If a
person takes out 2 at random, what is the probability that either both are apple of both are good.
(316/435)
3. Let A, B and C are three events. If the probability of occurring exactly one event out of A and B is 1- x,
out of B and C is 1- 2x, out of C and A is 1- x, and that of occurring three events is x2, prove that at
least one out of A, B and C will occur is greater than 1/2.
4. The probability that at least one of A, B is occur is p and the probability that A, B occur simultaneously
is r. find the probability that exactly one of them occur. (p - r)
5. Three persons A, B and C, fire a target in their turn. Their probability of hitting the target are 0.2, 0.3
and 0.5. Find the probability that target hit. (.72)
6. Three critics review a book. Odds in favour of book are 5:2, 4:3 and 3:4. Find the probability that
majority are in the favour of book.(209/343)
# Conditional probability: let A and B are event associated with experiment, then probability of occurring

A, when B al ready occurred is given by P ( BA )= n(n(A ∩B)B) ∨P ( BA )= P (PA( ∩A )B)

If A⊂ B, P ( BA )= n(n (B)A) , If B⊂ A P ( BA )=1
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Note: P ( BA ) means (i. probability of A when B is already occurred (ii).Probability of A with respect to B

(iii). Probability of A when B is taken as sample space)

7. Let there be a bag containing 5 white and 4 red balls. Two balls are drawn from the bag one after other
without replacement. Find probability of red ball when white ball already drawn. (1/2)
8. In a experiment in throwing a pair of dice, two events associated with it given by A = sum is 8, B = an
even no on the first dice, find (A/B) and P(B/A) .(3/8, 3/5)
9. A dice thrown twice and the sum of number appeared is observed to be 6. What is conditional
probability that the number 4 has appeared at least once. (2/5)
10. A fair dice is rolled and consider the following events A = {1, 3, 5}, B = {2, 3} and C = {2, 3, 4, 5}
Find: (i) P (A/B) and P(B/A).(1/2, 1/4) (ii) P(A/C) and P(C/A) (1/2, 1/3)

(iii) P(AUB/C) and P( A ∩ B/C ).(3/4, 1/4)

11. A coin tossed three times. Find P (E/F) in each of the following.
i) E = Head on the third toss, F = head on 1st 2 toss ii) E = At least two head, F = At most two head
iii) At most two tail, F = At least one tail.
12. Two coin tossed once, find P (E/F) in each case
(i) E = tail appear of one coin, F = one coin shows head (1)
(ii) E = No tail appears, F = No head appear. (0)
13. Mother, father and son line up at random for family picture. Find P(A/B), if A and B are as A = son on
one end, B = father in middle. (1)
14. A couple has two children. Find probability that
(i) both child are boys, if it is known that the older child is a boy. (1/2)
(ii) both child are girls, if it is known that the older child is a girl. (1/2)
(iii) both child are boys, if it is known that at least one of child is a boy. (1/3)
15. A dice thrown 3 times. Event A and B as given that, A = getting 4 on third dice, B = getting 6 on 1st
and 5 on the 2nd thrown. Find probability of A given that B has already occurs. (1/6)
16. A black and a red dice are rolled in order, find conditional probability of obtaining
(i) A sum greater than 9, given that black dice result in a 5. (1/3)
(ii) A sum 8, given that the red dice result in a number less than 4. (1/9)
17. In a school there are 1000 students, out of which 440 are girls. If is know that out of 440 girls,
10% of the girls studying in 12th class. What is the probability that a student chosen randomly study in
Class 12th, given that the chosen student is a girl. (1/10)

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# NOTE: (i) P( A ∪ B) = P( A ∩ B )=1−P (A ∩ B) (ii)
P ( A ∩B )=P ( A ∪ B )=1−P( A ∪ B)

(iii) P ( A ∪ B )=1−P ( A ) . P (B) (iv) P ( BA )+ P ( AB )=1 .

18. Given that A and B are two even such that P(A) = 0.6, P(B)= 0.3 and P(A ∩ B ) = 0.2,

find P ( BA ) and P ( BA ) .

19. If P (A) = 6/11, P(B) = 5/11 and P(AUB) = 7/11, find P(A ∩ B), P ( BA ) and P ( BA )
20. Find P (AUB), if 2P(A) = P(B) = 5/13 and P ( BA ) = 2/5. (11/26)

21. If P (A) = 2/5, P (B) = 1/3 and P (A ∩ B) = 1/5, find P( BA ) .

P( )
A B
22. If P (A) = 3/8, P (B) = 1/2 and P (A ∩ B) = 1/4, find and P( ) . (3/4, 3/5)
B A
23. 12 cards numbered 1 to 12 are placed in a box, mixed up thoroughly and then a cards is drawn at
random from the box. If it is known that the number on the drawn card is more than 3, find the
probability that it is an even number. (5/9)

# Multiplication theorem: P ( A ∩B )=P ( A ) . P(B) and P ( A ∪ B )=1−P ( A ) . P (B)

24. A bag contains 10 white and 15 black balls. Two balls are drawn in succession without replacement.
What is the probability that 1st is white and 2nd is black. (1/4)
25. Find probability of drawing a diamond card in each of the two consecutive draws of a well shuffled
pack of 62 card if the card is not replaced after 1st drawn.(1/969)
26. A bag contains 5 white and 8 black balls. Two successive drawing of three balls at a time are made
such that the balls are not replaced before the 2nd drawn. Find probability that the 1st drawn gives 3
white balls and 2nd drawn gives 3 black ball.(7/435)
27. Two balls are drawn from a bag containing 2 white, 3 red and 4 blue balls one by one without
replacement. What is the probability that at least one ball is red. (7/12)

Independence Events: (pair wise independence) P (A ∩B) = P(A).P(B) (also for more events)

28. If A and B are independence events associated with random experiment, then prove that

(i) A and B are independence events (ii) A and B are independence events

(iii) A∧B are independence events.

29. A coin tossed thrice and all eight outcome are equally likely E= 1st throw result in head, F = the last

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 throw result in tail, prove that E and F are independence events.
30. A dice throw twice, let event A “the odd number on 1st throws” and event B “the even number on the
2nd throws” check for A and B for independence. (indep)
31. Three coins are tossed. Let event E = 3 head or 3 tail, F= at least two head, G= at most two head, the
pair EF, EG and FG which are independence events.
32. A dice, marked 1, 2, 3 in red and 4, 5, 6 in green is tossed. Let A be event “number is even” and B be
“number is red”. Are A and B independence. (not)
33. Event A and B are such that P(A) = 1/2, P(B) = 7/12 and P(not A or not B) = 1/4, state whether A and
B are independence. (not independence)
34. Given that the events A and B are such that P (A) = 1/2, P(AUB) = 3/5 and P(B) = p, find the value of
p if (i) Mutually Exclusive (1/10) (ii) independence. (1/5)
35. A bag contains 5 white, 7 red and 4 black balls. If four balls are drawn one by one with replacement,
what is probability that none is white.((11/16)2)
36. A class consist of 80 students 25 of them are girls, 10 of them are rich, and remaining are poor, 20 of
them are fair complexion. What is probability of selecting a fair complexioned rich girl. (5/512)
37. A bag contains 5 white, 7 red and 8 black balls. Four balls are drawn one by one with replacement.
What is probability that at least one is white. (1-(3/4)4)
Questions problems
38. A question in math is given to 3 students whose chance of solving it are 1/2, 1/3 and 1/4. what is the
probability that the question is solved.
39. A can solve 90% of problems in a book and B can solve 70%. What is the probability that at least one
of them will solve the problem, (0.97)
40. Probability of solving a question by A and B are 1/2 and 1/3. If both try to solve the question
independently, find probability that (i) problem is solved. (2/3)
(ii) Exactly one of them solve the problem. (1/2)
41. A can hit a target 4 times in 5 shot, B, 3 times in 4 shot, C 2 times in 3 shot. Find probability of
(i) A, B and C all may hit. (2/5) (ii) B, C may hit, A may not hit. (1/10)
(iii) Any two of A, B and C will hit the target. (13/30) (iv) non will hit the target. (1/60)
THE LAWS OF TOTAL PROBABILITY
1. A bag contains 4 red and 3 black balls. A second bag contains 2 red and 4 black balls. One bag is
selected at random. From the selected bag, one ball is drawn. Find the probability that the ball is red.
(19/42)
2. One bag contains 4 white and 5 black balls. A second bag contains 6 white and 7 black balls. A ball is
transferred from first bag to the second bag and then one ball is drawn from the second bag. Find the

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 probability that the ball drawn is white.(29/63)
3. A bag contains 6 red and 5 blue balls and the second bag contains 5 red and 8 blue balls. A balls are
drawn first bag and is put into the second bag without noticing their colors. A ball is drawn from the
second bag. Find the probability that the ball drawn is blue. (93/154)
4. There are two bags. First bag contains 5 white and 3 black balls and the second bag contains 3 white
and 5 black balls. Two balls are drawn at random from the first bag and are put into the second bag
without noticing their colors. Then two balls are drawn from the second bag. Find the probability that
the balls are white and black.(673/1260)
5. There are two bags, one of which contains 4 white and 3 black balls, while the other contains 3 white
and 4 black balls. A fair dice is cast, if the face 1 or 3 turn up, a ball is taken from the first bag, and if
any other face turns up, a ball is chosen from second bag. Find the probability of drawing a black
ball.(11/21)
6. Two thirds of the students in a class are boys and the rest are girls. It is known that the probability of a
girl getting a first class is 0.25 and that of a boy getting a first class is 0.28. Find the probability that a
student chosen at random will get first class in the subject. (0.27)
7. A person has undertaken a construction jobs. The probabilities are 0.65 that there will be strike, 0.80
That the construction job will be completed on time if there is no strike, and 0.32 that the construction
job will be completed on time if there is a strike. Determine the probability that the construction job
will be completed on time (0.488)
8. A factory has two machines A and B. Past record show that the machine A manufacture 60% of items,
and machine B manufactured 40% of items. Further 2% of item produced by machine A were defective
and 1% of item produced by machine B were defective. An item is drawn at random , what is the
probability that it is defective (0.016)
BAYE’S THEOREM
9. In a bolt factory, machines A, B and C manufacture respectively 25%, 35% and 40% of the total bolt.
Of their output 5, 4 and 2 percent are respectively defective bolts. A bolt is drawn at random from the
product. If the bolt drawn is found to be defective, what is the probability that it is manufactured by
machine B.(28/69)
10. Three urns contain 6 red, 4 black; 4 red, 6 black and 5 red and 5 black balls respectively. One of the
urns is selected at random and a ball is drawn from it. If the ball drawn is red, find the probability that
it is drawn from the first bag.(2/5)
11. A company has two plants to manufacture scooters. Plant I manufactures 70% of the scooters and
Plant II manufactures 30% .At Plant I, 80% scooters are rated as of standard quality and at Plant II,
90% of the scooters are rated as of standard quality. A scooter is chosen at random and is found to

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 be of standard quality. What is the probability that it has come from Plant II. (27/83)
12. An insurance company insured 2000 scooter drivers, 4000 car drivers and 6000 truck drivers. The
probabilities of an accident involving the scooter driver, car driver and a truck driver are 0.01, 0.03
and 0.15 respectively. One of the insured person meet an accident. what is the probability that he is
a scooter driver.(1/52)
13. There are 3 bags, each containing 5 white and 3 black balls. Also there are 2 bags, each containing
2 white and 4 black balls. A white ball is drawn at random. Find the probability that this white ball is
from a bag of first group.(45/61)
14. A man is known to speak truth 3 out of 4 times, he through a dice and reports that it is a six.
Find the probability that it is actually a six. (3/8)
15. In a test, an examinee either guesses or copies or known the answer to a multiple choice question
with four choices. The probability that he makes a guess is 1/3 and the probability that he copies the
answer is 1/6. The probability that his answer is correct, given that he copied it, is 1/8. Find the
probability that he knew the answer to the question, given that he correctly answered it. (24/29)
16. A card from a pack of 52 cards is lost. From the remaining cards of the pack, two cards are drawn
and are found to be hearts. Find the probability of the missing card to be heart. (11/50)
17. A letter is known to have come either from TATANAGAR or CALCUTTA. On the envelope just two
consecutive letters TA are visible. What is the probability that the letter has come from
(i) CALCUTTA (II) TATANAGAR.(4/11,7/11) (4/11, 7/11)
18. Suppose a girl throws a dice. If she gets a 5 or 6, she tosses a coin three times and notes the
number of heads. If she gets a 1, 2, 3 or 4, she tosses a coin once and notes whether a head or tail
is obtained. If she obtained exactly one head, what is the probability that she threw a 1, 2, 3, or 4
with the dice. (8/11)
19.Given three identical boxes I, II, and III, each containing two coins. In box I both coins are gold coins,
in box II both are silvers coins and in box III there is one gold and one silver coins. A person chosen
a box at random and takes out a coin. If the coin is of the gold, what is the probability that the other
coin in the box is also is of the gold. (2/3)
20. Suppose that 5% of men and 0.25% of women have grey hair. A grey hair person is selected at
random. What is the probability of this person being male. Assume that there are equal number of
males and females. (20/21)
21. A bag contains 4 balls. Two balls are drawn at random and are found to be white. What is the
probability that all balls are white? (3/5)
22. A bag contains 3 red and 7 black balls. Two balls are selected at random one by one without
replacement. If the second selected ball happens to be red, what is probability that the first selected

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 ball is also red. (2/9)
PROBABILITY DISTRIBUTION
RANDOM VARIABLE: Real value function which assign a unique value for event in sample space ie X(x)
PROBABILITY DISTRIBUTION: The tabular representation of random variable along its corresponding

probability and ∑ pi =1.

1. Determine which of the following can be probability distribution.

(i) X: 0 1 2 (ii) X: 0 1 2 (iii) X: 0 1 2 3 4

P(x ): 0.4 0.4 0.2 P(x): 0.6 0.1 0.2 P(x): 0.1 0.5 0.2 - 0.1 0.3.

2. An unbiased die is rolled. If the random variable X is defined as X = {10, if,ifthetheoutcome

outcome is an even no
is a odd no
,

X: 0 1
find probability distribution of X.
P(X): 1/2 1/2

{
k ,if x=0
3. The probability distribution of X is given as X( x ¿= 2 k , if x=1 , where k is a number
3 k , if x=2
(i) Find the value of k (1/6) (ii) Find P ( x< 2 ) , P ( x ≤ 2 )∧P(x ≥ 2) (1/2, 1,1/2)

4. Let X denotes the number of hours you study during a randomly selected school day. The probability

{
0.1 , if x=0
distribution of X is given as X ( x)= kx , if x=1∨2 , where k is a number
k ( 5−x ) , if x=3∨4
(i) Find the value of k, What is the probability that you study. (3/20) ()
(ii) at least two hours. (0.75) (iii) Exactly two hours (0.3) (iv) At most two hours (0.55)
5. A random variable has following probability distribution
X: 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
P(x): 0 k 2k 2k 3k k2 2k2 7k2 + k, find the following
(i) k (ii) P( x < 6) (iii) P(x > 6) (iv) P( 0 < X < 5 ). (1/10, 81/100, 19/100, 4/5)
6. Let X represents the difference between the number of heads and the number of tails. When a coin is
tossed 6 time. What are the possible values of X. Also find the probability distribution.
7. A random variable X can take all non negative integral values and the probability that X takes the value

are is proportion to α r (0<α<1) . Find P(X = 0). (1-∝)

X:0 1 2, P(X): 1/4, 1/2 , 1/4
8. Find probability distribution of X, the number of heads in two tosses of a coin.
9. A coin is tossed until a head appears or the tail appears 4 times in succession. Find probability
distribution of the number of tosses.(P = ½, ¼, 1/8, 1/8)
10. A coin is biased so that the head is 3 times as likely to occur as tail. If coin is tossed twice, find
probability distribution for the number of tails.

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11. An unbiased die is thrown twice. Find probability distribution of the number of sixes.
12. Three cards are drawn from a pack of 52 cards. Find probability distribution of the number of aces.
13. Two cards are drawn successively with replacement from a well shuffled pack of 52 cards. Find
probability distribution of the number of kings.
14. An urn contains 4 white and 6 red balls. Four balls are drawn at random from the urn. Find probability
distribution the number of White balls.
15. An urn contains 4 white and 3 red balls. Find probability distribution of the number of red balls in a
random draws of three balls.
16. Find probability distribution of the number of green balls drawn when 3 balls are drawn, one by one,
without replacement from a bag containing 3 green and 5 white balls.(5/28, 15/28, 15/56,1/56)
17. 4 bad orange are mixed accidently with 16 good orange. Find probability distribution of the number of
bad orange in draws of two orange.
18. We take 8 identical slips of paper, write the number 0 on one of them, the number 1 on the three of
slips, the number 2 on three of slips and number 3 on one of the slips. These slips are folded, put in a
box. One slips is drawn at random from the box. If X is a random variable denoting the number written
on the drawn slip, find probability distribution of X. (1/8,3/8,3/8,1/8)
MEAN OF DISCRET RANDOM VARIABLE:
P.D is X : x1 , x2 , x3 , … … xn Mean = Σpi xi
P(X): p1 , p2 , p 3 ,… . pn
Mean is called mathematic expectation or Expected value denoted be E(x)
Mean of random variable means the mean of P.D

VARIANCE OF RANDOM (V(X) = E(X2) – (E(X))2) AND STANDARD DEVIATION σ =√ V (X )

19. Find mean, variance and standard deviation of the number of heads in two tosses of a coin.(1,1/2)
20. Find mean, variance and standard deviations of the number of heads in simultaneous three tosses of
a coins. (3/2, ¾, 0.87)
21. In a meeting 70% of the members favour a certain proposal, 30% being opposed. A member is
selected at random and let X = 0, if he opposed, and X = 1 if he is in favour. Find E(x) and V(x).
22. If a pair of die is thrown and X denotes the sum of the number on them. Find the probability
distribution of X. Also, find the expected value of X.
23. Two die are thrown simultaneously. If X denotes the number of sixes, find the expectation and
variance X. (1/3, 5/18)
24. Two numbers are selected at random (without replacement) from the first six positive integers. Let X
denotes the larger of the numbers obtained. Find E(x) and V(x) (14/3)

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25. Find the probability distribution of the number of successes in two tosses of a die, where a success is
defined as “getting a number greater than 4”. Also mean and variance of the distributions. (2/3, 4/9)
26. A die is tossed twice. A “success” is “getting an odd number” on a random toss. Find he variance of
the number of success.(1/2)
27. From a lot of 10 items containing 3 defectives, a sample of 4 items is drawn at random. Let X denotes
the number of defectives items in the sample. If the items is drawn one by one without replacement,
find PD, mean and variance.(6/5, 14/25)
28. A fair coin is tossed until a head or five tails occurs. If X denotes the number of tosses of the coin, find
the mean of X.(31/16)
29. Two cards are drawn at random from a box which contains five cards numbered 1.1,2,2, and 3. Let X
denotes the sum and Y the maximum of two number drawn. Find the probability distribution, mean
and variance of X and Y. ((3.6,0.84), (2.3, 0.41))