Topics: Probability
How likely something is to happen.
Handout 2
Concept of “AND “ rule & “OR” rule
Exclusive event : Two event are exclusive if they cannot occur at the same time .
For Example: 1. selecting a ‘2’ or selecting a ‘5’from a dice
2. Selecting an ‘ace’ or selecting a ‘ten’ from a pack of cards.
The OR rule
For exclusive events A and B
p(A or B) = p(A) + p(B)
This is the addition law
Example 1: One ball is selected at random from a bag containing 5 red balls ,2
yellow balls and 4 white balls. Find the probability of selecting a red ball or a white
ball.
Solution : The two events are exclusive.
p(red ball or white ball)=p(red) + p(white)
5 4
= 11 + 11
9
= 11
Independent Events:
Two events are independent if the occurrence of one event is unaffected by the occurrence of
other.
For example: obtaining a head on one coin and a tail on another coin when the coins are
tossed at the same time
The ‘AND’ rule :
For exclusive events A and B
p(A and B) = p(A) p(B)
This is the multiplication law
Example 2: A fair coin is tossed and a fair die is rolled.Find the
probability of obtaining a ‘head’ and a ‘six’
The two events are independent
P(head and six)=p(head)× p(six)
𝟏 𝟏
= 𝟐×𝟔
𝟏
= 𝟏𝟐
Exercise 2
Problems of coin tossing and dice throwing
1. A fair die is rolled. Calculate the probability the number rolled is
a) 6 d) an oddnumber
b) 7
c) 1 e) an even number
2. Two different coins are tossed randomly. Find the probability of:
e) getting no tail
a) getting two heads
f) getting at least 1 head
b) getting two tails
g) getting at least 1 tail
c) getting one tail
h) getting at most 1 tail
d) getting no head
i) getting 1 head and 1 tail
3. A coin and a dice are thrown at the same time. List all the possible outcomes of the
event. Find the probability of obtaining
a) a head and a prime number on the dice,
b) a tail and a number which is a multiple of 3.
4. Three coins are tossed at the same time .List all the possible outcomes .Find the probability of
obtaining :
e) getting no tail
(a) three heads
f) getting at least 1 head
(b) two heads and one tail
g) getting at least 1 tail
(c) no heads
h) getting at most 1 tail
(d) at least one head
i) getting 1 head and 1 tail
Exercise 3
Problem of balls / Marbles/others
1. A bag contains 3 green marbles, 6 blue marbles and 8 red marbles. One marble is taken out of
the bag at random. What is the probability of choosing;
(a) a red marble (ii) a blue marble
2. There are two yellow and three green balls in a tub. Ashraf picks a ball without
looking. What is his probability (as a decimal) that the ball is
(a) yellow (b) green (c) red
3.A bag contains 6 red balls and 4 green balls .
(i) Find the probability of selecting at random:
(a) a red ball (b) a green ball
(ii) One red ball is removed from the bag .Find the new probability of selecting at random
(a) A red ball (b) a green ball
4. A bag contains 11 Black, 6 Green and 3 Red balls. A ball is selected at random and replaced.
A second ball is then selected at random. Draw a Tree Diagram to illustrate this information.
Calculate the following probabilities:
(a) Both balls are Red.
(b) The first ball is Red and the second is Green.
(c) The 2 balls are Green and Black (in either order).
(d) Neither of the balls are Black.
(e) One of the balls is Green.
5. The table below shows the grades of the pupils in an English test.
Grade A B C D E F
No.of students 35 43 84 58 24 16
A student is selected at random. Find the probability that the student selected scored
(a) grade A,
(b) grade C or D,
(c) a grade higher than a C.
Playing Cards Probability
Basic concept on drawing a card:
In a pack or deck of 52 playing cards,there are
4 suits- spades ♠ hearts ♥, diamonds ♦, clubs ♣.
13 cards in each suit
4 Aces , 4 Kings ,4 Queens, 4 Jacks
Cards of Spades and clubs are black cards.
Cards of hearts and diamonds are red cards.
Face cards are King,Queen and jack .So total Face cards 3×4=12 cards
Example set of 52 playing cards; 13 of each suit clubs, diamonds, hearts, and spades
Ace 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Jack Queen King
Clubs
Diamo
nds
Hearts
Spades
Exercise 4
Problems of cards
1. One card is chosen at random from a standard pack of cards. Find the probability that the
chosen card will be:
(i) a heart (ii) an Ace
(iii) a 7 (iv) a black King
(v) a club (vi) the 5 of Hearts
2. A card is selected at random from a standard pack of cards. Find the probability, expressed
as a decimal, that the chosen card will be;
(i) red (ii) a club
(iii) an 8 (iv) a red Jack
3. A card is drawn at random from a standard pack of 52 playing cards. A card is drawn at
random. Write down each of the following probabilities.
a. The card is a Heart.
b. The card is a 7.
c. The card is the 7 of Hearts.
d. The card is an 8 AND is Black.
e. The card is an 8 OR is Black.
f. The card is a Prime number AND is red.
4. The king ,Queen and Jack of clubs are removed from a pack of 52 playing cards .One card
is selected at random from the remaining cards .Find the probability that the card is
(a) A Heart
(b) A King
(c) A club
(d) The 10 of Hearts
The End
