TYPE – 1

CONDITIONAL PROBABILITY
1. A die is rolled. If the outcome is an odd number, what is the probability that it is prime? [Ans.: 2/3]

2. Ten cards numbered 1 to 10 are placed in a box, mixed up thoroughly and then one card is drawn randomly.
If it is known that the number on the drawn card is more than 3, what is the probability that it is an even
number? [Ans.: 4/7]

3. A die is thrown twice and the sum of the numbers appearing is observed to be 6. What is the conditional
probability that the number 4 has appeared at least once? [Ans.: 2/5]

4. Assume that each born child is equally likely to be a boy or a girl. If a family has two children, what is the
conditional probability that both are girls given that (i) the youngest child is a girl, (ii) at least one of the
children is a girl? [Ans.: (i) 1/2;(ii) 1/3]

5. An instructor has a question bank consisting of 300 easy true/false questions; 200 difficult true/false
questions; 500 easy multiple-choice questions and 400 difficult multiple-choice questions. If a question is
selected at random from the question bank, what is the probability that it will be an easy question given that
it is a multiple-choice question? [Ans.: 5/9]

6. Two numbers are selected at random from the integers 1 through 9. If the sum is even, find the probability
that both the numbers are odd. [Ans.: 5/8]

PROPERTIES OF CONDITIONAL PROBABILITY

3 7 9
7. If A and B are the two events such that P(A) = 5 , P (B) = 10 and P(A  B) = 10 , then find (i) P(A  B) (ii)
� �
P (iii) P . [Ans.: (i) 2/5; (ii) 4/7; (iii) 2/3]
� �

6 1
8. Evaluate P(A B), if 2 P(A) = P(B) = 13 and P(A/B) = 3. [Ans.: 7/13]

1 1 1 � �
9. Let A and B be the events such that P(A) = 3, P(B) = 4 and P(A  B) = 5 . Find: (i) P �
(ii) P
�
(iii) P(A 
�
B) (iv) P �
[Ans.: (i) 4/5; (ii) 3/5; (iii) 23/60; (iv) 37/40]

7 9 4
10. Let A and B be the events such that P(A) = 13, P(B) = 13 and P(A  B) = 13.
� � �
Find (i) P �
(ii) P �
(iii) P(A  B) (iv) P �
. [Ans.: (i) 4/9; (ii) 4/7; (iii) 12/13; (iv) 1/6]

11. Let A and B be the events such that

5 6 7
P(A) = 11, P(B) = 11 and P(A  B) = .
11
� � �
Find (i) P(A  B) (ii) P �
(iii) P �
(iv) P �
. [Ans.: (i) 4/11; (ii) 2/3; (iii) 4/5; (iv) 4/5]

12. Let A and B be the events such that

3 1 � 2
P(A) = , P(B) = and P =
10 2 � 5
 Find (i) P(A  B) (ii) P(A  B) (iii) P(A/B). [Ans.: 3/25; (ii) 17/25; (iii) 6/25]

13. Let A and B be the events such that

5 � 2
2P(A) = P(B) = 13 and P �
= 5.
Find (i) P(A  B) (ii) P(A  B). [Ans.: (i) 2/13; 11/26]

14. A die is rolled. If the outcome is an even number, what is the probability that it is a number greater than 2?
[Ans.: 2/3]

15. Three coins are tossed simultaneously. Find the probability that all coins show heads if at least one of the
coins shows a head. [Ans.: 1/7]

16. Two unbiased dice are thrown. Find the probability that the sum of the numbers appearing is 8 or greater, if 4
appears on the first die. [Ans.: 1/2]

17. A die is thrown twice and the sum of the numbers appearing is observed to be 8. What is the conditional
probability that the number 5 has appeared at least once? [Ans.: 2/5]

18. A couple has 2 children. Find the probability that both are boys if it is known that (i) one of the children is a
boy, and (ii) the elder child is a boy. [Ans.: (1) 1/3; (ii) 1/2]

19. In a class, 40% students study mathematics; 25% study biology and 15% study both mathematics and
biology. One student is selected at random. Find the probability that
(i) He studies mathematics if it is known that he studies biology
(ii) He studies biology if it is known that he studies mathematics. [Ans.: (i) 3/5; (ii) 3/8]
4
20. The probability that a student selected at random from a class will pass in Hindi is 5 and the probability that
1
he passes in Hindi and English is . What is the probability that he will pass in English if it is known that he
2
has passed in Hindi? [Ans.: 5/8]

21. The probability that a certain person will buy a shirt is 0.2, the probability that he will buy a coat is 0.3 and
the probability that he will buy a shirt given that he buys a coat is 0.4. Find the probability that he will buy
both a shirt and a coat. [Ans.:0.12]

22. In a hostel, 60% of the students read Hindi newspaper, 40% read English newspaper and 20% read both
Hindi and English newspapers. A student is selected at random.
(i) Find the probability that he reads neither Hindi nor English newspaper.
(ii) If he reads Hindi newspaper, what is the probability that he reads English newspaper?
(iii) If he reads English newspaper, what is the probability that he reads Hindi newspaper?
[Ans.:(i) 1/5; (ii) 1/3; (iii) 1/2]

TYPE – 2

MULTIPLICATION RULE FOR THREE EVENTS

23. An urn contains 8 white and 4 red balls. Two balls are drawn from the urn one after the other without
��
replacement. What is the probability that both drawn balls are white? [Ans.: ��]

24. Three cards are drawn successively without replacement from a pack of 52 well-shuffled cards. What is the
�
probability that first two cards are queens and the third card drawn is a king? [Ans.: ����]
25. Let E1 and E2 be two events such that P(E1) = 0. 3, P(E1  E2) = 0.4 and P(E2) = x. Find the value of x such
that
(i) E1 and E2 are mutually exclusive,
�
(ii) E1 and E2 are independent. [Ans.: (i) x = 0.1; (ii) ]
�

26. Let E1 and E2 are the two independent events such that P(E1) = 0. 35 and P(E1  E2) = 0.60, find P(E2).
�
[Ans.: ��]

27. An unbiased die is tossed twice. Find the probability of getting a 4, 5 or 6 on the first toss and a 1, 2, 3 or 4
�
on the second toss. [Ans.: ]
�

28. A can solve 90% of the problems given in a book, and B can solve 70%. What is the probability that at least
one of them will solve a problem selected at random from the book? [Ans.: 0.97]

1 2
29. The probability that A hits a target is 3 and the probability that B hits it is 5
. What is the probability that
the target will be hit if both A and B shoot at it? [Ans.: 3/5]

1
30. A and B appear for an interview for two posts. The probability of A‘s selection is 3
and that of B‘s
2
selection is . Find the probability that only one of them will be selected. [Ans.: 7/15]
5

1 1
31. The probabilities of a specific problem being solved independently by A and B are 2 and 3 respectively. If
both try to solve the problem independently, find the probability that
(i) The problem is solved
(ii) Exactly one of them solves the problem. [Ans.: (i) 2/3; (ii) 1/2]

32. Amit and Nisha appear for an interview for two vacancies in a company. The probability of Amit’s selection
is 1/5 and that of Nisha’s selection is 1/6. What is the probability that
(i) both of them are selected?
(ii) only one of them is selected?
(iii) none of them is selected? [Ans.:(i) 1/30;(ii) 3/10;(iii) 2/3]

33. Three groups of children contain 3 girls and 1 boy; 2 girls and 2 boys; and 1 girl and 3 boys. One child is
selected at random from each group. Find the chance that the three children selected comprise 1 girl and 2
boys. [Ans.: 13/32]
1 2 3
34. A problem is given to three students whose chances of solving it are 3 , 7 ��� 8 . What is the probability that
the problem will be solved? [Ans.:59/84]
1 1 1
35. A problem in mathematics is given to three students whose chances of solving it correctly are 2 , 3 ��� 4
respectively. What is the probability that only one of them solves it correctly? [Ans.:11/24]

36. Three critics review a book. For the three critics, the odds in favour of the book are (5 : 2), (4 : 3) and ( 3 : 4)
respectively. Find the probability that the majority is in favour of the book. [Ans.: 209/343]

37. A card is drawn from a well – shuffled deck of 52 cards and without replacing this card, a second card is
drawn. Find the probability that the first card is a club and the second card is a spade. [Ans.: 13/204]
38. There is a box containing 30 bulbs of which 5 are defective. If two bulbs are chosen at random from the box
in succession without replacing the first, what is the probability that both the bulbs chosen are defective?
[Ans.: 2/87]

39. A bag contains 10 white and 15 black balls. Two balls are drawn in succession without replacement. What is
the probability that the first ball is white and the second is black? [Ans.: 1/4]
1 3
40. Let E1 and E2 be the events such that P(E1) = 3 and P(E2) = 5.
Find:
(i) P(E1  E2), when E1 and E2 are mutually exclusive,
(ii) P(E1  E2), when E1 and E2 are independent. [Ans.: (i) 14/15 (ii) 1/5]
1 1 1
41. If E1 and E2 are the two events such that P(E1) = 4 , P(E2) = 3
and P(E1  E2) = , show that E1 and E2 are
2
independent events.

42. If E1 and E2 are independent events such that P(E1) = 0. 3 and P(E2) = 0.4, find (i) P(E1  E2) (ii) P(E1  E2)
(iii) P(E1  E2) (iv) P(E1  E2). [Ans.: (i) 0.12 (ii) 0.58 (iii) 0.42 (iv) 0.28]

43. Let A and B be the events such that

1 7 1
P(A) = 2, P(B) = and P(not A or not B) = 2
12
State whether A and B are
(i) Mutually exclusive,
(ii) Independent. [Ans.: (i) No (ii) No]

44. Kamal and Vimal appeared for an interview for two vacancies. The probability of Kamal’s selection is 1/3
and that of Vimal’s selection is 1/5. Find the probability that only one of them will be selected.
[Ans.: 2/5]

45. A and B appear for an interview for two vacancies in the same post. The probability of A’s selection is 1/6
and that of B’s selection is 1/4. Find the probability that
(i) Both of them are selected
(ii) Only one of them is selected
(iii) None is selected
(iv) At least one of them is selected. [Ans.: (i) 1/24, (ii) 1/3, (iii) 5/8, 3/8]

46. Given the probability that A can solve a problem is 2/3, and the probability that B can solve the same
problem is 3/5, find the probability that
(i) At least one of A and B will solve the problem
(ii) None of the two will solve the problem. [Ans.: (i) 13/15; (ii) 2/15]
1 1 1
47. A problem is given to three students whose chances of solving it are 4 , 5 ��� 6 respectively. Find the
probability that the problem is solved. [Ans.: 1/2]

48. Neelam has offered physics, chemistry and mathematics in Class XII. She estimates that her probabilities of
receiving a grade A in these courses are 0.2, 0.3 and 0.9 respectively. Find the probabilities that Neelam
receives
(i) all A grades (ii) no A grade (iii) exactly 2 A grades.[Ans.: (i) 0.054 (ii) 0.056 (iii) 0.348]