Probability [51 marks]

1. 17N.2.SL.TZ0.S_4

A discrete random variable 𝑋 has the following probability distribution.

(a) Write down P(𝑋 = 2).

[1]

(b) Find P(𝑋 = 2|𝑋 > 0).

[3]

2. 18N.1.SL.TZ0.S_9

A bag contains 𝑛 marbles, two of which are blue. Hayley plays a game in which she randomly
draws marbles out of the bag, one after another, without replacement. The game ends when
Hayley draws a blue marble.

(a.i) Find the probability, in terms of 𝑛, that the game will end on her first draw.

[1]

(a.ii) Find the probability, in terms of 𝑛, that the game will end on her second draw.

[3]

Let 𝑛 = 5. Find the probability that the game will end on her

(b.i) third draw.

[2]

(b.ii) fourth draw.

[2]

(c) Hayley plays the game when 𝑛 = 5. She pays $20 to play and can earn money back
depending on the number of draws it takes to obtain a blue marble. She earns no money
back if she obtains a blue marble on her first draw. Let M be the amount of money that she
earns back playing the game. This information is shown in the following table.
 Find the value of 𝑘 so that this is a fair game.

[7]

3. 18N.2.SL.TZ0.T_2

160 students attend a dual language school in which the students are taught only in Spanish or
taught only in English.

A survey was conducted in order to analyse the number of students studying Biology or
Mathematics. The results are shown in the Venn diagram.

Set S represents those students who are taught in Spanish.

Set B represents those students who study Biology.

Set M represents those students who study Mathematics.

[2]

(a.ii) Find the number of students in the school that study Mathematics in English.

[2]

(a.iii) Find the number of students in the school that study both Biology and Mathematics.

[2]

(b.i) Write down 𝑛(𝑆 ∩ (𝑀 ∪ 𝐵)).

[1]

(b.ii) Write down 𝑛(𝐵 ∩ 𝑀 ∩ 𝑆 ′ ).

[1]

A student from the school is chosen at random.

(c.i) Find the probability that this student studies Mathematics.

[2]

(c.ii) Find the probability that this student studies neither Biology nor Mathematics.

[2]

(c.iii) Find the probability that this student is taught in Spanish, given that the student studies
Biology.

[2]

4. 17N.1.SL.TZ0.T_7

Rosewood College has 120 students. The students can join the sports club (𝑆) and the music
club (𝑀).
1
For a student chosen at random from these 120, the probability that they joined both clubs is 4
1
and the probability that they joined the music club is3.

There are 20 students that did not join either club.

(a) Complete the Venn diagram for these students.

(b) One of the students who joined the sports club is chosen at random. Find the probability that
this student joined both clubs.

[2]

(c) Determine whether the events 𝑆 and 𝑀 are independent.

[2]

5. 20N.2.SL.TZ0.S_3

A discrete random variable 𝑋 has the following probability distribution.

(a) Find an expression for 𝑞 in terms of 𝑝.

[2]

(b.i) Find the value of 𝑝 which gives the largest value of E(𝑋).

[3]

(b.ii) Hence, find the largest value of E(𝑋).

[1]

6. SPM.1.SL.TZ0.12

Jae Hee plays a game involving a biased six-sided die.

The faces of the die are labelled −3, −1, 0, 1, 2 and 5.

The score for the game, X, is the number which lands face up after the die is rolled.
The following table shows the probability distribution for X.

(a) Find the exact value of 𝑝.

[1]

Jae Hee plays the game once.

(b) Calculate the expected score.

[2]

(c) Jae Hee plays the game twice and adds the two scores together.

Find the probability Jae Hee has a total score of −3.

[3]

© International Baccalaureate Organization, 2024