PROBABILITY

IMPORTANT FACTS AND FORMULAE

1.

Experiment:

An operation which can produce some well-defined outcomes is called an experiment.

2.

Random Experiment: An experiment in which all possible outcomes are know and the exact output cannot be
predicted in advance, is called a random experiment.
Examples:

i.
ii.
iii.

iv.

Rolling an unbiased dice.

Tossing a fair coin.
Drawing a card from a pack of well-shuffled cards.
Picking up a ball of certain colour from a bag containing balls of different colours .

Details:
i.
ii.
iii.

When we throw a coin, then either a Head (H) or a Tail (T) appears.
A dice is a solid cube, having 6 faces, marked 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 respectively. When we throw a die, the outcome is the
number that appears on its upper face.
A pack of cards has 52 cards.
It has 13 cards of each suit, name Spades, Clubs, Hearts and Diamonds.
Cards of spades and clubs are black cards.
Cards of hearts and diamonds are red cards.
There are 4 honours of each unit.
There are Kings, Queens and Jacks. These are all called face cards.

3.

Sample Space:
When we perform an experiment, then the set S of all possible outcomes is called the sample space.
Examples:
1.
2.

In tossing a coin, S = {H, T}

If two coins are tossed, the S = {HH, HT, TH, TT}.

3.

In rolling a dice, we have, S = {1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6}.

4.

Event:

Any subset of a sample space is called an event.

5.

Probability of Occurrence of an Event:

Let S be the sample and let E be an event.
Then, E
S.
n(E)
: P(E) =
.
n(S)

6.

Results on Probability:

(a)

P(S) = 1

(b)

P (E)

(c)

P(

)=0

(d)

For any events A and B we have : P(A

(e)

If A denotes (not-A), then P(A) = 1 - P(A).

B) = P(A) + P(B) - P(A

Ex.1.

In a throw of a coin, find the probability of getting a head.

Sol.

Here S =

P (E)

H, T

and e E =

n (E)
=

B)

1
=

n (S)

.
2

Ex.2.

Two unbiased coins are tossed. What is the probability of getting at most one head ?

Sol.

Here S = (HH, HT, TH, TT).

Let E

= event of getting at most one head.

E = (TT, HT, TH).

P (E) =

n (E)

3
=

n (S)

.
4

Ex.3.
or 6 ?

Two dice are thrown together. What is the probability that the sum of the numbers on the two faces is divisible by 4

Sol.

Clearly, n (S) = 6 x 6 = 36.

Let E be the event that the sum of the numbers on the two faces is divisible by 4 or 6. Then,
E =

(1 , 3), (1 , 5),(2 , 2), (2 , 4), (2 , 6), (3 , 1), (3 , 3), (3 , 5), (4 , 2), (4 , 4), (5 , 1), (5 , 3), (6 , 2), (6 , 6)

n (E) = 14.
n (E)
Hence, P (E)

14
=

7
=

n (S)

36

.
18

Ex.4.

An unbiased die is tossed . Find the probability of getting a multiple of 3.

Sol.

Here S = 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 .
Let E be the event of getting a multiple of 3.
Then, E =

3 , 6 .
n (E)

P (E) =

2
=

1
=

n (S)

.
3

Ex.5.

In a simultaneous throw of a pair of dice , find the probability of getting a total more than 7.

Sol.

Here, n (S) = (6 x 6) = 36.

Let E = Event of getting a total more than 7

= (2 , 6), (3 , 5), (3 , 6), (4 , 4), (4 , 5), (4 , 6), (5 , 3), (5 , 4), (5 , 5), (5 , 6), (6 , 2), (6 , 3), (6 , 4) , (6 , 5), (6 , 6)
n (E)
:

P (E)

15
=

5
=

n (S)

36

.
12

Ex.6.
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?
Sol.

Here, S = {1, 2, 3, 4, ...., 19, 20}.

Let E = event of getting a multiple of 3 or 5 = {3, 6 , 9, 12, 15, 18, 5, 10, 20}.
n (E)

P (E) =

9
=

n (S)

.
20

Ex.7.
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?

Sol.

Total number of balls = (2 + 3 + 2) = 7.

Let S be the sample space.
Then, n(S) = Number of ways of drawing 2 balls out of 7
7

C2 `

(7 x 6)
=

= 21.
(2 x 1)

Let E = Event of drawing 2 balls, none of which is blue.

n (E) = Number of ways of drawing 2 balls out of (2 + 3) balls.
5

= C2
(5 x 4)
=

= 10.
(2 x 1)
n (E)

P (E) =

10
=

n (S)

21

Ex.8.

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

Sol.

In a simultaneous throw of two dice, we have n(S) = (6 x 6) = 36.

Then, E =

{(1, 2), (1, 4), (1, 6), (2, 1), (2, 2), (2, 3), (2, 4), (2, 5), (2, 6), (3, 2), (3, 4),
(3, 6), (4, 1), (4, 2), (4, 3), (4, 4), (4, 5), (4, 6), (5, 2), (5, 4), (5, 6), (6, 1),
(6, 2), (6, 3), (6, 4), (6, 5), (6, 6)}

n (E) = 27.
n (E)
:

P (E) =

27
=

n (S)

3
=

36

.
4

Ex.9.
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:
Sol.

Let S be the sample space and E be the event of selecting 1 girl and 2 boys.
Then, n(S) = Number ways of selecting 3 students out of 25
25

= C3 `

=
=

(25 x 24 x 23)
(3 x 2 x 1)
2300.

10

15

n(E) = ( C1 x C2)

(15 x 14)
= 10 x

(2 x 1)

= 1050.
n (E)
:

P (E) =

1050
=

21
=

n (S)

2300

46

Ex.10.

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

Sol.

Here, n(S) = 52.

Let E = event of getting a queen of club or a king of heart.
Then, n(E) = 2.
n (E)

P (E) =

n (S)

52

.
26

Ex.11. 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:
Sol.

Let S be the sample space.

Then, n(S) = number of ways of drawing 3 balls out of 15
=

15

C3
(15 x 14 x 13)

= 455.
( 3 x 2 x1)

Let E = event of getting all the 3 red balls.

5

n(E) = C3 = C2

( 5 x 4)
=

= 10.
( 2 x 1)

n (E)
:

P (E) =

10
=

n (S)

2
=

455

.
91

Ex.12.

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

Sol.

Here S = {TTT, TTH, THT, HTT, THH, HTH, HHT, HHH}

Let E = event of getting at most two heads.
Then E = {TTT, TTH, THT, HTT, THH, HTH, HHT}.
n (E)
:

P (E) =

=
n (S)

.
8

Ex.13.

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

Sol.

In two throws of a die, n(S) = (6 x 6) = 36.

Let E = event of getting a sum ={(3, 6), (4, 5), (5, 4), (6, 3)}.
n (E)
:

P (E) =

n (S)

36

Ex.14.

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

Sol.

Clearly, n(S) = (6 x 6) = 36.

Let E = Event that the sum is a prime number.
Then E = { (1, 1), (1, 2), (1, 4), (1, 6), (2, 1), (2, 3), (2, 5), (3, 2), (3, 4), (4, 1), (4, 3),
(5, 2), (5, 6), (6, 1), (6, 5) }
n (E) = 15.
n (E)
:

P (E) =

15

=
n (S)

36

12

Ex.15.
kings?

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

Sol.

Let S be the sample space.

Then, n (S) =

52

(52 X 51)
C2 =

= 1326.
(2 X 1)

Let E = event of getting 2 kings out of 4.

n(E) = 4C2 =

(4 x 3)
= 6.
(2 x 1)

n (E)
:

P (E) =

6
=

n (S)

1
=

1326

.
221

Ex.16. 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?
Sol.

Let number of balls = (6 + 8) = 14.

Number of white balls = 8.
8

P (drawing a white ball) =

14

Ex.17.

One card is drawn at random from a pack of 52 cards. What is the probability that the card drawn is a face card?

Sol.

Clearly, there are 52 cards, out of which there are 12 face cards.

P (getting a face card) =

12

3
=

52

13

Ex.18. 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?
Sol.

Total number of balls = (8 + 7 + 6) = 21.

Let E

= event that the ball drawn is neither red nor green

= event that the ball drawn is blue.
n(E) = 7.

n (E)
P(E)

=
n (S)

1
=

21

.
3

Ex.19
prize?

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

Sol.

P (getting a prize) =

10

10
=

(10 + 25)

2
=

35

.
7

Ex.20.

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

Sol.

Let S be the sample space.

Then, n(S) =

52

(52 x 51)
C2 =

= 1326.
(2 x 1)

Let E = event of getting 1 spade and 1 heart.

n (E) = number of ways of choosing 1 spade out of 13 and 1 heart out of 13

13

13

= ( C1 x C1)
= (13 x 13)
= 169.
n (E)
P (E) =

169

13

n (S)

1326

.
102

Ex.21.

In a single through of a die , what is the probability of getting a number greater than 4 ?

Sol.

When a die is thrown , we have S = 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 .

Let E = event of getting a number greater than 4 =
n (E)
:

P (E) =

=
n (S)

5,6 .

=
6

.
3

Ex.22.

In a simultaneous throw of two coins, the probability of getting at least one head is :

Sol.

Here S =

HH, HT, TH, TT .

Let E = event of getting at least one head =

n (E)
:

P (E) =

3
=

n (S)
Ex.23.

.
4

Two coins are tossed . What is the probability of the appearing of

(i) at most one head

Sol.

HT, TH, HH .

n (S) = 4 =

(ii) at most two heads?

(T , T), (H , T), (T , H), (H , H)

For (i), E ( of appearing at most one head ) = HT , TH , TT , n(E) = 3

3
: P (E) =
4
For (ii), E (of appearing at most two heads) = HH, HT, TH, TT ,
n (E) = 4
4
: P (E) =

= 1.
4

Ex.24.

A dice is thrown . What is the probability that the number shown on the dice is not divisible by 3 ?

Sol.

S =

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

E (not divisible by 3) =

; n (S) = 6

1 , 2 , 4 , 5 , n (E) = 4

4
:

P (not divisible by 3) =

2
=

Ex.25. The letters of the world ARTICLE is arranged in different ways randomly. What is the chance that the vowels
occupy the even place?
Sol.

The 7 different letters of the word ARTICLE can be arranged in 7! ways , i.e., n (S) = 7!
3

6 x 24

n (E) = P3 x P4 = 3! x 4! = 6 x 24

P (E)

=
7!

1
.
35

Ex.26.

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

Sol.

Here S =
Let

TTT, TTH, THT, HTT, THH, HTH, HHT, HHH .

E = event of getting at most two heads .

Then, E =

TTT, TTH, THT, HTT, THH, HTH, HHT .

n (E)

: P (E) =

7
=

n (S)

.
8

Ex.27.

In a simultaneous throw of two dice, what is the probability of getting a doublet?

Sol.

In a simultaneous throw of two dice, n (S) = (6 x 6) = 36.

Let E = event of getting a doublet =
n (E)
: P (E) =

=
n (S)

(1 , 1), (2, 2), (3, 3), (4, 4), (5, 5), (6, 6) .

=
36

.
6

Ex.28. Tickets number 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 ?
Sol.

Here, S =
Let

1, 2 , 3 , 4, , 19 , 20 .

E = event of getting a multiple of 3 or 5 =

n (E)

P (E) =

9
=

n (S)

3 , 6 , 9 ,12 , 15 ,18 ,5 , 10 ,20 .

.
20

Ex.29.
king?

One card is drawn from a pack of 52 cards. What is the probability that the card drawn is either a red card or a

Sol.

Here, n (S) = 52.

There are 26 red card (including 2 kings ) and there are 2 more kings .
Let

E = event of getting a red card or a king.

Then, n (E) = 28.

n (E)
: P (E) =

28
=

7
=

n (S)

52

.
13

Ex.30.
spade?

From a pack of 52 cards, one cards is drawn at random. What is the probability that the card drawn is a ten or a

Sol.

Here, n (S) = 52.

There are 13 spades (including one ten) and there are 3 more tens.
Let

= event of getting a ten or a spade.

Then, n (E) = (13 + 3 ) = 16.

n (E)
:

P (E)

16
=

n (S)

4
=

52

.
13