PROBABILITY

The probability formula is used to (iii) A pack of cards has 52 cards.

compute the probability of an event to occur.  It has 13 cards of each suit,
To recall, the likelihood of an event happening namely Spades, Clubs, Hearts
is called probability. When a random and Diamonds.
experiment is entertained, one of the first  Cards of spades and clubs are
questions that come in our mind is: What is the black cards.
probability that a certain event occurs? A  Cards of hearts and diamonds are
probability is a chance of prediction. When we red cards.
assume that, let’s say, x be the chances of  There are 4 honours of each suit.
happening an event then at the same time (1-x) These are Aces, Kings, Queens
are the chances for “not happening” of an and Jacks. These are called Face
event. cards.

Similarly, if the probability of an

event occurring is “a” and an independent
probability is “b”, then the probability of both
the event occurring is “ab”. We can use the
formula to find the chances of an event
happening.

Experiment: An operation which can produce

some well-defined outcomes is called an
experiment.

Random experiment: An experiment in

which all possible outcomes are known and
the exact output cannot be predicted in Sample space: when we perform an
advance is called a random experiment. experiment, then the set S of all possible
outcomes is called the sample space.
Examples of performing a random
experiment: Example:

(i) Rolling an unbiased dice (i) In tossing a coin, S= {H, T}

(ii) Tossing a fair coin (ii) If two coins are tossed, then
(iii) Drawing a card from a pack of S= {HH, HT, TH, TT}
well-shuffled cards (iii) In rolling a dice, we have,
(iv) Picking up a ball of certain colour S= {1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6}.
from a bag containing balls of
different colours Event: Any subset of a sample space is called
an event.
Details:
Probability of outcomes of an event:
(i) When we throw a coin, then either
a Head (H) or a Tail (T) appears. Let S be the sample space and let E be an
(ii) A dice is a solid cube, having 6 event. Then, E  S.
faces, marked 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
n( E )
respectively.  P( E ) 
When we throw a die, the outcome n( S )
is the number that appears on its
upper face.
 PROBABILITY
Results on probability: 4) Three unbiased coins are tossed What is
(i) P(S)=1 the probability of getting at least 2 heads?
(ii) 0 ≤ P(E) ≤ 1
(iii) P(∅) = 0 Here S = {TTT, TTH, THT, HTT, THH, HTH,
(iv) For any event A and B, we have:
HHT, HHH}
P(A∪ B) = P(A) + P(B) – P(A∩B)
(v) If 𝐴̅ denotes (not-A), then Let E= event of getting at least two heads
P(𝐴̅ ) = 1- P (A) = {THH, HTH, HHT, HHH}
n( E ) 4 1
EXAMPLE PROBLEMS:  P( E )   
n( S ) 8 2
1)In a throw of coin, find the probability of
getting a head. 5) Find probability of getting at least one
head when a coin is tossed twice
Here S = { H,T} ; E = {H} Solution:
∴P(E)=n(E) / n(S)
No.of possible outcomes is 4
=1 / 2.
2) Two unbiased coins are tossed simultaneously. No.of favourable = {HH,HT,TH}=3
Find the probability of getting at most one head. So the probability is 3 /4.

6) An unbiased die is tossed find the

Since, Total possibilities are = {HH,HT,TH,TT}
probability of getting a multiple of 3.
no. of cases with atmost one head
are ={HT,TH,TT} A dice is tossed.

∴ probability = n(E) / n(S) Total outcomes = 6

= 3 /4. Number of outcomes which are multiple

3)Three unbiased coins are tossed. What is of 3 are: 2→{3,6}
the probability of getting at most two heads?
Required probability:
Solution:
P(E) = n(E) / n(S) = 2/6 =1/3
Getting at most Two heads means 0 to 2 but 7) In a simultaneous throw of pair of dice. Find
not more than 2
Here S = {TTT, TTH, THT, HTT, THH, HTH, the probability of getting the total more than 7.
Solution:
HHT, HHH}
Here n(S) = (6 x 6) = 36
n(S) = 8
Let E = event of getting at most two heads Let E = event of getting a total more than 7
Then E = {TTT, TTH, THT, HTT, THH, ={(2,6),(3,5),(3,6),(4,4),(4,5),(4,6),(5,3),
HTH, HHT} (5,4),(5,5),(5,6),(6,2),(6,3),(6,4),(6,5),(6,6)}
Therefore, P(E) = n(E)/n(S) = 15/36 = 5/12.
n (E) = 7
8) In a single throw of a die what is the
n( E ) 7 probability of getting a number greater
 P( E )   than 4?
n( S ) 8
When a die is thrown we have
S={1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6}
 PROBABILITY
Let E= event of getting a number greater than n(E)=10
4={5,6}
P(E) = n(E) / n(S) =2 / 6 = 1 / 3 n(E)) 10
∴P(E)= =
n(S) 21
9) In a simultaneous toss of two dice. What is
the probability of getting a total of 7?
Solution: 12)In a box, there are 8 red, 7 blue and 6
We know that in a simultaneous throw of two green balls. One ball is picked up randomly.
dice, n(S) = 6×6 = 36 What is the probability that it is neither red
Let E = event of getting a total of 7 nor green?
= {(1,6), (2,5), (3,4), (4,3), (5,2), (6,1)}
∴ P(E)= n(E) / n(S) = 6 / 36 = 1 / 6. Solution:
10)Tickets numbered 1 to 20 are mixed up
and then a ticket is drawn at random. What is Total number of balls= (8 + 7 + 6)
the probability that the ticket drawn has a = 21
number which is a multiple of 3 or 5?
Let E = event that the ball drawn is neither red
Solution: nor green
= event that the ball drawn is blue
Here, S = {1, 2, 3, 4, ...., 19, 20}
Let E = event of getting a multiple of 3 or 5 ∴n(E)=7
= {3, 6 , 9, 12, 15, 18, 5, 10, 20} n(E) 7 1
∴P(E)= = =
n(S) 21 3
∴P(E)=n(E) / n(S)=9 / 20
13)Two dice are thrown simultaneously.
11)A bag contains 2 red, 3 green and 2 blue What is the probability of getting two
balls. Two balls are drawn at random. What numbers whose product is even?
is the probability that none of the balls drawn
is blue? Solution:

Solution: In a simultaneous throw of two dice, we have

n(S) = (6 x 6) = 36
Total number of balls = (2 + 3 + 2) Then,
=7
Let S be the sample space E = {(1, 2), (1, 4), (1, 6), (2, 1), (2, 2), (2, 3), (2, 4),
Then, n(S) = Number of ways of drawing 2 (2, 5), (2, 6), (3, 2), (3, 4), (3, 6), (4, 1), (4, 2), (4,
balls out of 7 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(S)= 7C 2 ∴n(E)=27
(7×6) n(E)) 27 3
n(S)=
(2×1)
∴P(E)= n(S)
= 36 = 4

n(S)=21 14)In a class, there are 15 boys and 10 girls.

Let E = Event of 2 balls, none of which is blue Three students are selected at random. Then
∴ n(E) = Number of ways of drawing 2 balls find the probability that 1 girl and 2 boys are
out of (2 + 3) balls selected.

5 Solution:
n(E)= C 2
Let S be the sample space and E be the event
(5×4)
n(E)= (2×1) of selecting 1 girl and 2 boys
 PROBABILITY
Then, n(S) = Number ways of selecting 3
=
15C  15 14 13 =455
students out of 25 3  2 1
3

=
25C  25  24  23 Let E = event of getting all the 3 red balls
3  2 1
3

5 4
n( E )5C3  5C 2   10
= 2300 2 1
15  14
n( E )10C115 C2  10  P( E ) 
n( E ) 10
 
2
2 1 n( S ) 455 91
= 1050
18)Two cards are drawn together from a pack
of 52 cards. Then find the probability that
n( E ) 1050 21
P( E )    one is a spade and one is a heart.
n( S ) 2300 46 Solution:
Let S be the sample space
15)In a lottery, there are 10 prizes and 25 52  51
n( S )52C2   1326
blanks. A lottery is drawn at random. What is 2 1
the probability of getting a prize? Let E = event of getting 1 spade and 1 heart
∴ n(E) = number of ways of choosing 1 spade
Solution:
out of 13 and 1 heart out of 13
10 10 2 13C1  13C1 1313  169
P(gettingaprize)=  
10  25 35 7 n( E ) 169 13
P( E )   
n( S ) 1326 102
16)A card is drawn from a pack of 52 cards.
19)One card is drawn at random from a pack
Then find the probability of getting a queen of 52 cards. What is the probability that the
of club or a king of heart. card drawn is a face card (Jack, Queen and
King only)?
Solution: Solution:
Clearly, there are 52 cards, out of which there
Here, n(S) = 52 are 12 face cards.
Let E = event of getting a queen of club or a 12 3
king of heart ∴P(gettingafacecard)  
52 13
Then, n(E) = 2 20) A bag contains 6 black and 8 white
balls. One ball is drawn at random. What is
n( E ) 2 1
P( E )    the probability that the ball drawn is white?
n( S ) 52 26 Solution:
Let number of balls =(6+8) =14
17)A bag contains 4 white, 5 red and 6 blue Number of white balls=8
balls. Three balls are drawn at random from 8 4
P(drawingawhite ball)  
the bag. Then find the probability that all of 14 7
them are red 21) Tickets numbered 1 to 20 are mixed up
and then a ticket is drawn at random. What is
Solution: the probability that the ticket drawn bears a
number which is a multiple of 3 ?
Let S be the sample space Solution:
Then, n(S) = number of ways of drawing 3 Here, S = {1, 2, 3, 4,........, 19, 20}
balls out of 15 Let E = even of getting a multiple of 3 = {3, 6,
9, 12, 15, 18}
 PROBABILITY
n( E ) 6 3 Required probability:
P( E )   
n( S ) 20 10
4C  4C 4C 4  4  4 16
22) From a pack of 52 cards, two cards are drawn 1 1 1
 
together at random. What is the probability of 52C 22100 5525
3
both the cards being kings?
Solution:
Let S be the sample space
52 52  51
Then, n( S ) C2   1326
2 1
Let E = event of getting 2 kings out of 4
43
n( E ) 4C2  6
2 1
n( E ) 6 1
P( E )   
n( S ) 1326 221
23) What is the probability that a number
selected from numbers 1, 2, 3, ......, 30, is
prime number, when each of the given
numbers is equally likely to be selected?

Solution:

X = {2, 3, 5, 7, 11, 13, 17, 19, 23, 29}

n(X) = 10, n(S) = 30

Hence required probability,

n( X ) 10 1
P( E )   
n( S ) 30 3

24) In a charity show tickets numbered

consecutively from 101 through 350 are
placed in a box.
What is the probability that a ticket selected
at random (blindly) will have a number with
a hundredth digit of 2?

Solution:

250 numbers between 101 and 350

i.e. n(S) = 250

n(E) = 100th digits of 2 = 299 - 199 = 100

n( E ) 100
P( E )    0.40
n( S ) 250
25) From a pack of 52 cards, 3 cards are
drawn. What is the probability that one is ace,
one is queen and one is jack?

Solution: