Cambridge IGCSE Mathematics Core and Extended CD-ROM
Core questions: 1 – 8
Extended questions: 9 – 13
Extended revision exercises: Data handling
Worksheet 8: Introduction to probability
1 A box contains 3 red counters, 4 green counters, 2 blue counters and a black counter.
If you pick a counter without looking, what is the probability that you will pick:
(a) a red counter
(b) a green counter
(c) a black counter
(d) a blue counter
(e) a yellow counter
2 Nick shuffles an ordinary pack of 52 playing cards.
If he draw a single card at random, find the probability that is:
(a) red
(b) black
(c) spades
(d) not spades
(e) a king
(f) not an ace
(g) an even numbered card
(h) a red even numbered card
(i) not an even numbered card.
3 A pentagonal spinner is divided into five equal segments.These are a labelled A to E.
(a) Draw and label an accurate version of the spinner.
(b) Calculate the probability that it will land on:
(i) E (ii) G
(iii) Not A (iv) a vowel
(v) not a vowel.
4 A letter is chosen randomly from the word MATHEMATICS. What is the probability that it is:
(a) C (b) A
(c) not T? (d) a vowel?
(e) N?
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Cambridge IGCSE Mathematics Core and Extended CD-ROM
5 A letter is randomly chosen from the song title ‘You are my sunshine’.
What is the probability of the letter being:
(a) a capital letter?
(b) not a capital letter?
(c) an a?
(d) a consonant?
(e) not a consonant?
6 When you toss a fair six-sided die, what is the probability of getting:
(a) an odd number
(b) an even number
(c) a prime number
(d) a multiple of 5
(e) not a multiple of 2
(f) not a 6
(g) a 7
(h) a factor of 36?
7 In a car park there are 35 red, 42 white, 12 black and 29 silver cars. 24 parking spaces are empty. What is
the probability that a parking space chosen at random will contain:
(a) a red car
(b) a silver car
(c) not a black car
(d) no car at all?
8 Draw unbiased spinners that will land on blue, given the following information:
1 5
(a) P(blue) = , P(red) =
6 6
1 1 1
(b) P(blue) = , P(white) = , P(black) =
3 3 3
1
(c) P(not blue) =
8
4
(d) P(black) = , P(blue) = P(not black).
5
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Cambridge IGCSE Mathematics Core and Extended CD-ROM
9 An unbiased black dice and an unbiased white dice are thrown together.
(a) Draw a probability space diagram to show all possible outcomes of this event.
(b) Find the probability that:
(i) one dice shows 2 and the other shows 3
(ii) one dice shows 6
(iii) both dice show 2.
10 A bag contains ten identical counters. Four are purple and six are yellow. A counter is removed at random
and then replaced. A second counter is then removed. What is the probability that:
(a) the first counter is purple
(b) both counters are purple
(c) neither counter is purple
(d) the first counter is yellow and the second is purple
(e) the two counters are different colours
(f) at least one counter is purple?
11 A box contains three yellow, four red and two purple marbles. A marble is chosen at random and not
replaced. If three marbles are chosen (without replacement) what is the probability of choosing:
(a) three red marbles
(b) a yellow, red and purple marble in that order?
12 Sandy’s sock drawer contains 40 identical green or yellow socks. If he chooses a sock at random, the
1
probability that it is green is .
4
(a) How many yellow socks are in the drawer?
(b) Keeping the number of yellow socks the same, how many green socks would you need to add to the
1
drawer to make the probability of choosing a green sock ?
3
13 Ten balls numbered 1 to 10 are placed in a box. One ball is removed from the box and not replaced. A
second ball is then chosen. Find the probability that the sum of the numbers on the balls is equal to 9.
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