CHAPTER -16

PROBABILITY

KEY CONCEPT
Random Experiment: If an experiment has mor
• . . . .
ossible outcome and 1t 1s not possible to predict the
e than
one
P . . I d outcorn
advance then experiment 1s ca le random experiment. e10
Sample Space: The collection or set of all possible out
• ·
a random experiment comes _01
·1s ca II ed samp Ie space associated
it Each element of the sample space (set) is called a With
· ~mple
point.

• Event: A subset of tile sample space associated with a randorn

experiment is called an event.

• Elementary or Simple Event: An event which has only one

Sample point is called a simple event.

• Compound Event: An event which has more than one Sample

point is called a Compound event.

• Sure Event: If an event is same as the sample space of the

experiment, then event is called sure event. In other words an
event which is certain to happen is sure event.

• Impossible Event: Let S be the sample space of the

experiment, $ c S, ~ is called impossible event. In other words
an event which is impossible to be happen is the impossible
event.

• Exhaustive and Mutually Exclusive Events: If Events E,, E2.

EJ ........ En are n events of a sample space S such that
(i) E1U E2UE3LJ ........ UEn = S then Events E1, E2, E3...... ..En
are called exhaustive events.

· sl
ematic
186 [XI-Math
 \Ill E, I )E ~(01 l'VOr~ 1 'I I \IH'II I WI its I 1, I ', I 1,
1
called mutu,\lly Pxclus,vo

Probability of an Event: 1111 , , [i11il,, s.1111 plu r.pnco S wilh

' equ,1\1~ hk,'i~ 0utco111os, p1 \lb, ,l111ily ol 011 ,,v, •11l A 1s doli11ud :is:

P~A) = n(A)
n(S)
where n(A \ 1s numbl'r of 1)l1•11H'nls in A nnd n(S) 1s number of
elements 1n st'.\t S l1nd O · P(/\) · I

(a) If A and B iHt.' ,rny two evPnts then

P(A or B)-= PtA U B) - P(A) + P(B) - P(A n B)
= P(A) + P(B) - P (A and B)

(b) A and B are mutually exclusive events, then

P(A U B) = P(A) + P(B) (since P(A n B) = O for mutually

exclusive events)

P(A) + P(A) = 1or P(A) + P(not A) = 1

(c)

p (Sure event)= P(S) = 1

(d)
p (impossible event)= P(!p) = o
(e)

P( A- B) = P(A) - P(A n 8) =P(AnB)

(f)

P( B -A)= P(B)- P(A n B) =P(AnB)

(g)
p(AnB) = P(AuB)= 1-P(AuB)
(h)
--
p(A uB) == P(A ('18) = 1-P(A '1B)
(i)
 • Addition theorem for three events
Let A, B and C be any three events associated with a random
experiment, then

P(A uBu C) = P(A)+ P(B)+P(C)-P(A nB)-P(AnC)-

P(Bn C)+ P(A nBn C)

• Axiomatic Approach to Probability:

Let S be a sample space containing elementary outcomes w
W2, ........... , Wn 1,

i.e. S = {W1, W2, ...... . , Wn}

(i) 0 < P(w;) < 1, for all w; £ S

(iii) P (A) =IP(wi) , for any event A containing elementary

events w,..
VENN DIAGRAM OF DIFFERENT SETS

B B A B

A
0 A' 8

A A B

AU 8 A() fl
8'

B A e

IA n B)' or A' u 8'

An a·

A' u8 .or (An 8 ') A u 8' or (A' n 8 )

A' n 8' or (Au 8 )'

(A () B'} U (A' n 8)

re are 12
• The card s J, Q and K are called face cards. The
face card s in a dec k of 52 cards.
e and 32
• The re are 64 squ ares in a chess board i.e.32 whit
Black.
 VERY SHORT ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS

sample Space for the experiment:

1. oescn be the
A coin is tossed twice and number of heads is recorded .
Describe the Sample Space for the experiment:
2
A card is drnwn from a deck of playing cards and its col .
our 18
noted
Describe the Sample Space for the experiment:
3
A coin is tossed repeatedly until a tail comes up.
4. Describe the Sample Space for the experiment:
A coin is tossed . If 1t shows head, we dr~w a ball from a bag
consisting of 2 red and 3 black balls. If It shows tail, coin is
tossed again.
5. Describe the Sample Space for the experiment:
Two balls are drawn at random in succession without
replacement from a box containing 1 red and 3 identical white
balls.
6. A coin is tossed n times. Find the number of element in its
sample space.
7. One number is chosen at random from the numbers 1 to 21.
What is the probability that it is prime?
8. What is the probability that a given two-digit number is divisible
by 15?
9. If P(A U B) = P(A) + P(B), then what can be said about the
events A and B?
10. If P(A U B) = P(A n B), then find relation between P(A) and P(B).

SHORT ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS

11 . Let A and B be two events such that P(A) = 0.3 and P(A U B) ==
0.8, find P(B) if P(AnB) = P(A) P(B).
12. Three identical dice are rolled . Find the probability that the same
number appears on each of them.
r

In an experiment of rolling of a fair die. Let A, B and c be three

events defined as under.

A : a number which 1s a perfect square

B : a prime number
C : a number which is greater than 5.
Is A, B, and C exhaustive events?

14. Punching time of an employee is given below:

DAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY

TIME
10:35 10:20 10:22 10:27 10:25 10:40
(AM)

If the reporting time is 10:30 a.m, then find the probability of his
coming late.

15. A game has 18 triangular blocks out of which 8 are blue and rest
are red and 19 square blocks out of which 7 are blue and rest
are yellow. On piece is lost. Find the probability that it was a
square of blue colour.

16. A card is drawn from a pack of 52 cards. Find the probability of

getting:
(i) a jack or a queen
(ii) a king or a diamond
(iii) a heart or a club
(iv) either a red or a face card.
(v) neither a heart nor a king
(vi) neither an ace nor a jack
,
(vii) a face card
17, In a leap year find the probability of
(i) 53 Mondays and 53 Tuesdays
(ii) 53 Mondays and 53 Wednesday

-- .
 uesdays
(iii) 53 Mondays or 53 T
ednesday
(iv) 53 Mondays or 53 W
leap ye a r, fin d the probability of
18. In a non-
Tuesdays.
(i) 53 Mondays and 53
53 M onda ys o r 53 Tuesdays.
(ii)
A , B , an d C ar e going to 1 .
19. Three candidates F ed erati:n;~um a_ chess
IDE (W orld Che ss
competition to win F is twice as like, P
th ,s Year.
to wm as 8 and 8
A is thrice as likely o f A, B and c to w· Ythascutop.Wi
n
e p ro b a bility e
C. Find the respectiv ,n

ESTIONS
LONG ANSWER QU
th at in a ra nd om arrangement of the 1etters
20. Find the probability
N IV E R S IT Y tw o I' s come together.
o f the word U
d an un kn ow n nu mber x of red ballS.
ue an
21. An urn contains 5 bl th e pr ob ab ility of both of them
atrandom . If
Two balls are drawn
being blue is ~14
, find x.
co lline ar . Find the probability that
plane 5 are
22. Out of 8 points in a
cte d a t ra nd om fo rm a triangle.
3 points sele ils o r at least two heads in a
o f at m o st tw o ta
23. Find the probability
toss o f three coins. d w ith a random experimen
t
a ss o ci ate
are events
24. A, B and C
such that
P(A) = 0.3, n C) =0.28 and
= 0.8, P(A n B) =0.08, P(A
P(B) = 0.4, P(C)
P(AnBnC) = 0.09. If ) lies in the interval
that P(B n C
P(A U B U C) ~ 0. 75
Then prove

[0.23, 0.48].
bability o f three mutually
1 2 are the pro
1+ 3P 1-P and - p
3 , 4 2
d the es of P·
set o f all valu
vents. Thenfin
exclusive e
- Mathematics]
, B contni n~ 4
II s an d urn
,rn A c:ontsins 6 red .ind 4 blncl\ ba d from urn A
\n l at ran om
· ,d and 6 black balls. One ball is dmwn d from urn B
it: '" l 1s dra wn at ran om
d lnced ,n urn B Tf1Pn ont." bc1l d f m urn
An P l is dra wn at ran om ro
and placed 1n urn A Now 11 one bal
to be red.
A then findthe probability that 1t 1s found 5t 1OO
chosen ran dar nly from the fir
If three d1st1nct numbers are th em
find the pro bab ility tha t all thre e of
natural numbers. then
.
are divisible by both 2 and 3. x : x is
s ={1. 2. 3. . .. . , 30}, A ={x : x is multiple of 7}, f3 = {
multiple of 5}.C - {x x is a multiple of 3}.
finQ the probability that
If x 1s a member of S chosen at random
(1) X t: A 1....' 8
(ii) X e B ·1 C

(iii) Xe A ,1 C
n the number 1 to 100.
9. One number ,s chosen at random fror
4 or 10.
Find the probability that it is divisible by 1
eve nts hav irg P(A v 8) = and
'O. If A and B are any two 2

P( A)=:, then find theP( An B).

ular hexagon are chosen at
J1. Three of the six vertices of a reg
ngle with these vertices
random. What is probability that the tria
is equilateral?
numb~r) is a sequence of
J2. A typical PIN (Personal identification
letters in the alphabet and
any four symbols chosen from the 26
digits If all PINs are equally likely, what js the probability that
ten
eateq symbol?
a randomly chosen PIN contains a rep
4 black balls. If two ba 11s are
lJ. An urn contains 9 red, 7 white and
that the balls are of same
drawn at random. Find the probability
colour.
ge will get an award for its
l4. The probability that a new railway brid
will get an award for the
design is 0.48, the probability that it
that it will get ~oth awards
~fficient use of materials is 0.36, and
~ 0.2. What is the probability, that

193 [XI - Je1athematics)

 (i) it will get at least one of the two awards
(ii) it will get only one of the awards.
35. A girl calculates that the probability of her winning th .
in a lottery is 0.02. If 6000 tickets were sold, how rn:~rst. Pn~
has she bought? Ytickets
36. Two dice are thrown at the same time and the P
numbers appearing . on them . . the probabilit
rodu~ Of
1s noted. Find
the product is less than 9? Ythat
37.
All the face cards are removed from a deck of 52 playing
. .
The remaining cards are well shuffled and then one card cards.
drawn at random. G.1ving. ace a va Iue 1 and similar value IS
1
other cards Find the probability of getting a card with value le:;
than 7.
38.
If A,B and C are three mutually exclusive and exhaustive events
of an experiment such that
3P(A) =2P{B) =P{C), then find the value of P(A).

CASE STUDY TYPE QUESTIONS

39. To make a healthy routine and to do some physical exercise

during lockdown a family decided to roll a dice and based on the
outcomes, they will decide activities to be done.

• If the outcome is 2, 4 or 6, they will do 30 minutes walk on

the roof.
• If it shows 1 or 3 on the dice, 15 minutes meditation to be
done.
• If outcome is 5, then they will toss a coin. If it shows
"Head", the family will do 5 minutes of rope skipping. If
there is "Tail", family will do 20 minutes of Yoga.

i. How many elements are there in the sample space?

(a)6
(b) 9 (c) 7 (d) 8
' ii. Wh at is the pro bab ility of do ing wa

5
lkin g?

4 1
(a) - (b) 3 (c) - (d) -
6 7 7 6
111. Wh at is the pro bab ility of do ing rop
e ski pp ing ?

1 1 1
(a )- (b) 2 (c) - (d) -
3 7 6 7
1v. Wh at is the pro bab ility of do ing
yog a or me dit ati on ?

(a) 1 (b) 2 3 1
(c) - (d) -
7 7 2
v. Tw o activities hav ing the sam e pro
ba bili ty are
(a) Wa lkin g an d Yo ga
(b) Yo ga an d Ro pe Sk ipp ing
(c) Ro pe Sk ipp ing an d Wa lkin g
(d) Wa lkin g an d Me dit ati on

40. In a cla ss of 60 stu de nts , ho bb

ies we re dis cu sse d. 30 \ike d
rea ing , 32 like d sin gin g an d 24 like
d ab ou t rea din g an d sin gin g.
1. Fin d the pro ba bili ty tha t the stu de
nt like d rea din g or sin gin g.
(a )~ (b )~ (c) 23 (d) 29
30 30 30 30
11. Ho w ma ny stu de nts ne ith er like
rea din g no r sin gin g?
(a) 30 (b) 28 (c) 22 (d) 38
111. Find the probability tha t the stu de nt ne
ith er li~e sin gin g no r
reading?
(a )~ (b )~
30 30

7
(c) - (d) -1
30 30
 Iv. Flnd the probability that a student like singing
reading?
b~t
4 7 1 2 n~
(a} 15 (b)1 5 (c)1 5 (d)1 5

v. Find the probability that a student like reading onl

1 3 7 y,
(a )- (b) - (c) -(d ) 0
10 10 10

Multiple Choice Questions

41. Without repetition of the numbers , four digit numbers
. are fo
.
with the numbers 0, 2, 3, 5. The probability of rrned
such a number
divisible by 5 is -
1
(a) 5 (b) _i
5
5
(c) 9 (d) _1 .
30
42. Three digit numbers are formed using the digits
0, 2, 4, 6, 8. A
number is chosen at random out of these numbers
. What is the
probability that this number has the same digits?
1
(a) - (b) ~
16 25
(c) _1 (d) _1 .
65 I
25

43. The probability that a non-leap year selected at rand

om will have
52 Sundays is -
(a) O (b) 1
1
(c) - . (d) 2.
7 7

196 · sl
[XI - Mathematic
 The probability that a non-leap year selected at random will have
53 Sundays is -
(a) 0 (b) 1

1
(c) - (d) 2.
7 7
45. The probability that a leap year selected at random will have 54
Sundays is
(a) 0 (b) 1

1 (d) 2.
(c) -
7 7
46. Three unbiased coins are tossed . If the probability of getting at
least 2 tails is p, Thenthe value of 8p -
(a)O (b)1
(c) 3 (d) 4.

47. Four unbiased coins are tossed . If the probability of getting odd
number of tails is p, then the value of 16p -
(a)1 (b)2
(c)4 (d)8

48. From 4 red balls, 2 white balls and 4 black balls, four balls are

selected. The probability of getting 2 red balls Is p, then the

value of 7p -

(a) 1 (b) 2

(c) 3 (d) 4

49. If A and B are mutually exclusive events, then

(a) P( A) < P( B) (b) Pl A) ~ Pt B)

(c) P(A) < P(B) (d) None of these

197 [XI - Mathematics}

 50 The probability that atleast one of the events A
and 8
simultaneously with probability 0.2, then P( A) + P( - . accu
8) IS r
(a) 0.4 (b) 0.8
(c) 1.2 (d) 1.6

[ ANSWERS]
1. {O, 1, 2}

2. {R, B}

3. {T, HT, HHT, ..... }

4. {HR1 , HR2, HB1, HB2, H83, TH , TT}

5. {RW, WW, WR}

6.

8
7.
21
1
8.
15

9. Mutually Exclusive

10. P(A) = P(B)

5
11. -
7

1
12.
36

13. Yes, A, B and C are Exhaustive Events

198 [XI - Mathematics]

' 1
J

7
15
37
\ I
16 (1) 1 H
13t11)IJ (tit) {I\)
' I \
9 11
lv) 1.3(v1)1J .\
\\·II}
1J

17 (I)
, (11) 0 (111)
J
(1\
) ,I
7 i I
?
18. (1) 0 (ii) •
7

19. 6 2 ')
P(AJ · = . P(B) .. P(C)
9 3 9 ~)

1
20.
5

21. 3

22.
23-
28

23. -7
8
24. 0.23 ~ P(B) ~ 0.48

-1
25. -s -1
P :$;
3 3
H