PROBABILITY

PROBABILITY
measure of how likely an event will occur.

METHODS

CLASSICAL METHOD EMPIRICAL METHOD

(Based on assumptions) (Based on an actual
experiment)
 SOME BASIC TERMS

EXPERIMENT
(process which results in some well defined outcomes)

SAMPLE SPACE
(set of all possible outcomes of an experiment)

EVENT
(an outcome of an experiment)
 CERTAIN
(event is definitely going to
happen)

LIKELY
(event is probably going to
happen but not definitely)
EVENT
UNLIKELY
(event will probably not
happen but it might)

IMPOSSIBLE
(event will definitely not
happen)
 IMPORTANT FACTS

The Probability of an event E is given by

P(E) =

If E is the event occurring, then denotes the non-

occurrence of the event E. E and are called
complementary events.

The sum of the probabilities of an event and its

complementary event is always ONE.
=1
SUMS FROM THE BOOKLET
1. Nine cards (identical in all respects) are numbered 2 to 10. A card is selected from
them at random. Find the probability that the card selected will be: (i) an even
number (ii) a multiple of 3 (iii) an even number and a multiple of 3 (iv) an even
number or a multiple of 3.
Sample space = {2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10} = 9
(i) Favourable outcomes = 5
P(card has an even number)
= (Favourable outcomes)/ Total number of outcomes
= 5/9
(ii) Favourable outcomes = 3
P(card number is a multiple of 3) = 3/9 = 1/3
(iii) Favourable outcomes = 1
P( card number is even and a multiple of 3) = 1/9
(iv) Favourable outcomes = 7
2. From 25 identical cards, numbered 1, 2, 3, 4, 5,……….,24, 25; one card is drawn at
random. Find the probability that the number on the card drawn is a multiple of:
(i) 3 (ii) 5 (iii) 3 and 5 (iv) 3 or 5.

Sample space = {1, 2, 3, 4,…………………, 24, 25} = 25

(i) Favourable outcomes = 8
P(card number is a multiple of 3) = 8/25
(ii) Favourable outcomes = 5
P( card number is a multiple of 5) = 5/25 = 1/5
(iii) Favourable outcomes = 1
P(card number is a multiple of 3 and 5) = 1/25
(iv) Favourable outcomes = 12
P(card number is a multiple of 3 or 5) = 12/25
3. In a bundle of 50 shirts, 44 are good, 4 have minor defects and 2 have
major defects. What is the probability that: (i) it is acceptable to a trader
who accepts only a good shirt? (ii) it is acceptable to a trader who rejects
only a shirt with major defects?
Sample space is 50.
Out of these 44 are good, 4 have minor defects and
2 have major defects.
(i) Favourable outcomes = 44
P(trader accepts a good shirt only) = 44/50 = 22/25
(ii) Favourable outcomes = 44 + 4 = 48
P( a trader rejects a shirt only if it has major defects)
= 48/50 = 24/25
4. A bag contains 10 red balls, 16 white balls and 8 green balls. A ball is drawn out
of the bag at random. What is the probability that the ball drawn will be:
(i) not red ? (ii) neither red nor green? (iii) white or green?

Sample space = 10 + 16 + 8 = 34

(i) Favourable outcomes = 24

P(that the ball is not red) = 24/34 = 12/17
(ii) Favourable outcomes = 16
P(that the ball is neither red nor green) = 16/34 =8/17
(iii) Favourable outcomes = 24
P( that the ball is white or green) = 24/34 = 12/17
5. A bag contains 100 identical marble stones which are numbered from 1 to 100. If
one stone is drawn at random from the bag, find the probability that it bears: (i) a
perfect square number (ii) a number divisible by 4 (iii) a number divisible by 5 (iv)
a number divisible by 4 or 5 (v) a number divisible by 4 and 5.
Sample space = {1, 2, 3, 4, ……, 98, 99, 100} = 100
(i) Favourable outcomes = 10
P(stone bears a perfect square no.) = 10/100 = 1/10
(ii) Favourable outcomes = 25
P(stone bears a no. divisible by 4) = 25/100 = ¼
(iii) Favourable outcomes = 20
P(stone bears a no. divisible by 5) = 20/100 = 1/5
(iv) Favourable outcomes = 40
P(stone bears a no. divisible by 4 or 5) = 40/100 = 2/5
(v)Favourable outcomes = 5
6. A book contains 85 pages. A page is chosen at random. What is the
probability that the sum of the digits on the page is 8?

Sample space = {1, 2, 3, 4, ……….,84, 85} = 85

Favourable outcomes = {8, 17, 71, 26, 62, 35, 53, 44, 80} = 9
P(sum of the digits of the page is 8} = 9/85
7. A game consist of spinning an arrow which comes to rest pointing at one of the
numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, ……,10, 11, 12; as shown above. If the outcomes are equally likely,
find the probability that the pointer will point at: (i) 6 (ii) an even number (iii) a prime
number (iv) a number greater than 8 (v) a number less than or equal to 9 (vi) a number
between 3 and 11.

Sample space = {1, 2, 3, 4,………., 10, 11, 12} = 12

(i) Favourable outcome = 1
P(pointer is at 6) = 1/12
(ii) Favourable outcomes = 6
P(pointer is at any even no.) = 6/12 = 1/2
(iii) Favourable outcomes = 5
P(pointer is at a prime no.) = 5/12
(iv) Favourable outcomes = 4
P(pointer is at a no. which is greater than 8) = 4/12 = 1/3
(v) Favourable outcomes = 9
P(pointer is at a no. which is less than or equal to 9) = 9/12 = ¾
(vi) Favourable outcomes = 7
8. Cards marked with numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, ….., 20 are well shuffled and a card is
drawn at random. What is the probability that the number on the card is (i) a
prime number(ii) divisible by 3 (iii) a perfect square?

Sample space = {1, 2, 3, 4, ……, 18, 19, 20} = 20

(i)Favourable outcomes = 8
P(number on the card is
a prime number) = 8/20 = 2/5
(ii) Favourable outcomes = 6
P(number on the card is
divisible by 3) = 6/20 = 3/10
(iii) Favourable outcomes = 4
P(number on the card is
a perfect square) = 4/20 = 1/5
9. A bag contains 5 red balls and some blue balls. If the probability of drawing a blue ball is double that of a red ball,
determine the number of blue balls in the bag.

Let the number of blue balls be x

Sample space = x + 5
P(drawing a blue ball) = x/(x + 5)
P(drawing a red ball) = 5/(x + 5)
Therefore, x 5
 2
x5 x5


x = 10

So the number of blue balls are 10.

10. (i) A lot of 20 bulbs contains 4 defective bulbs. One bulb is drawn at random
from the lot. What is the probability that this bulb is defective?

(ii) Suppose the bulb drawn in (i) is not defective and is not replaced. Now one
bulb is drawn at random from the rest. What is the probability that this bulb is not
defective?

(i) Sample space = 20, 4 are defective and 16 are good bulbs
Favourable outcomes = 4
P(bulb is defective) = 4/20 = 1/5
(ii) When the bulb drawn is not defective and is not
replaced, then
Sample space is 19, 4 are defective and 15 are good bulbs.
Favourable outcomes = 15
P(bulb is not defective) = 15/19
CHECK YOUR UNDERSTANDING

1. Cards marked with all 2-digit numbers are placed in a box

and mixed thoroughly. One card is drawn at random. Find the
probability that the number on the card is (i) divisible by 10,
(ii) a perfect square number, (iii) a prime number less than
25.

2. A letter is chosen from the word MATHEMATICS. What is the

probability that it is (i) a vowel, (ii) a consonant?
 ANSWERS
1. (i) 9/90,
(ii) 6/90,
(iii) 5/90. (all have to be reduced to lowest terms)

2. (i) 3/8
(ii) 5/8
11. If two coins are tossed once, what is the probability of getting: (i) 2
heads (ii) at least one head (iii) both heads or both tails.
When two coins are tossed, total number of
outcomes is 22 = 4
Sample space = {HH, TT, HT, TH}
(i) Favourable outcome = 1
P(getting 2 heads) = ¼
(ii) Favourable outcomes = 3
P(getting at least one head) = ¾
(iii) Favourable outcomes = 2
P(getting both heads or both tails) = 2/4 = 1/2
12. In a single throw of 2 dice, find the probability of: (i) a doublet (ii) a number less
than 3 on each dice (iii) an odd number as a sum (iv) a total of atmost 10 (v) an odd
number on one dice and a number less than or equal to 4 on the other dice.
Single throw of two dice, total no. of outcomes = 62=36
The outcomes are{(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)}
(i) Favourable outcomes = 6
P(of a doublet) = 6/36 = 1/6
(ii) Favourable outcomes = 4
P(of a no. less than 3 on each die) = 4/36 = 1/9
(iii) Favourable outcomes = 18
P(of an odd no. as a sum) = 16/36 = ½
(iv) Favourable outcomes = 33
P(a total of atmost 10) = 33/36 = 11/12
(v) Favourable outcomes = 20
P(of an odd no. on one dice and a no. less than 4 on the other) = 20/36 = 5/9
13. A card is drawn from a pack of 52 cards. Find the probability that the card drawn
is (i) a red card (ii) a black card (iii) a spade (iv) an ace (v) a black ace (vi) ace of
diamonds (vii) not a club (viii) a queen or a jack.
Sample space is 52 ( 26 black[13 spades,13 club], 26 red[13 diamond, 13 hearts])
(i) Favourable outcomes = 26
P( that the card is red) = 26/52 = ½
(ii) Favourable outcomes = 26
P( that the card is black) = 26/52 = ½
(iii)Favourable outcomes = 13
P( that the card is spade) = 13/52 = ¼
(iv) Favourable outcomes = 4
P(card is an ace) = 4/52 = 1/13
(v) Favourable outcomes = 2
P( that the card is a black ace) = 2/52 = 1/26
(vi) Favourable outcomes = 1
P( that the card is an ace of diamond) = 1/52
(vii) Favourable outcomes = 39
P( that the card is not a club) = 39/52 = ¾
(vii) Favourable outcomes = 8
14. Seven cards: the eight, the nine, the ten, jack, queen, king and ace of diamonds are
well shuffled. One card is then picked up at random. (i) What is the probability that
the card drawn is the eight or the king? (ii) if the king is drawn and put aside, what is
the probability that the second card picked up is: (a) an ace? (b) a king?
There are seven cards: 8, 9, 10, jack, queen , king and ace of
diamonds.
Sample space = 7
(i) Favourable outcomes = 2
P(card is eight or king) = 2/7
(ii) King is picked up and kept aside.
Sample space is 6
(a) Favourable outcome = 1
P(that the card has ace) = 1/6
(b) Favourable outcome = 0
P(That the card has king) = 0/6 = 0
15. Three coins are tossed together. Write down all the possible outcomes.
Now, find the probability of getting: (i) exactly two heads (ii) at least two
heads (iii) atmost two heads(iv) all tails (v) at least one tail.
Total number of outcomes = 23 = 8
Sample space = {HHH, HTH, HHT, HTT, TTH, THH, THT, TTT}
(i) Favourable outcomes = 3
P(getting exactly two heads) = 3/8
(ii) Favourable outcomes = 4
P(getting at least two heads) = 4/8 = ½
(iii) Favourable outcomes = 6
P(getting atmost two heads) = 6/8 = ¾
(iv) Favourable outcome = 1
P( getting all tails) = 1/8
(v) Favourable outcomes = 7
16. From a pack of 52 playing cards, all cards whose numbers are multiples of 3 are
removed. A card is now drawn at random. What is the probability that the card
drawn is (i) a face card (ii) an even numbered red card?

There are 52 playing cards.

Cards whose numbers are multiples of 3 are removed.
Sample space = 52 – 12 = 40
(i) Favourable outcomes = 12
P( it is a face card) = 12/40 = 3/10
(ii) Favourable outcomes = 8
P(it is an even numbered card) = 8/40 = 1/5
18. Offices in Delhi are open for five days in a week (Monday to Friday). Two
employees of an office remain absent for one day in the same particular week.
Find the probability that they remain absent on: (i) the same day (ii) consecutive
day (iii) different days.

Sample space = 5 x 5 (MT, MW, MTh, MF, TW, TTh, TF,

WTh, WF, ThF, TM, WM, ThM, FM, WT, ThT, FT, ThW,
FW, FTh, MM, TT, WW, ThTh, FF)
(i) Favourable outcomes:5
(ii) P(remain absent on the same day) = 5/25 = 1/5
(ii) Favourable outcomes:{MT, TM, TW, WT, WTh, ThW,
ThF, FTh} = 8
P(remain absent on consecutive days) = 8/25
(iii)P(remain absent on different days) = 1  1  4
5 5
19. What is the probability of getting 53 Sundays when it is
(i) not a leap year (ii) a leap year?

(i) When it is not a leap year:

Total number of days = 365
Total number of days in 52 weeks = 7 x 52 = 364
So 1 day is left.
This day may be M, T, W, Th, F, Sat, Sun
Sample space is 7
Favourable outcome is 1
P(that the day is Sunday) = 1/7
(ii) When it is a leap year:
Total number of days = 366
Total number of days in 52 weeks = 7 x 52 = 364
So 2 days are left.
These two days may be (M, T), (T, W), (W, Th), (Th F),
(F, Sat), (Sat, Sun), (Sun, M)
Sample space is 7
Favourable outcomes are 2
P(that the day is Sunday) = 2/7
 HW ASSIGNMENT
17, 20, 21 from booklet