ECEN 303: Random Signals and Systems

Fall 2017

Problem set 2

1. (Counting) A total of 7 different gifts are to be distributed among 10 children. How many distinct
results are possible if no child is to receive more than one gift?

2. (Counting) In how many different ways can 3 novels, 2 mathematics books, and 1 chemistry book
be arranged on a bookshelf if:

(a) the books can be arranged in any order;

(b) the books in the same category must be together;
(c) the novels must be together but the other books can be arranged in any order?

3. (Counting) The Jones family household includes Mr. and Mrs. Jones, 4 children, 2 cats, and 3
dogs. Every day at 6 P.M. there is a Jones family stroll. The rules for a Jones family stroll are:
Exactly 5 things (people + dogs + cats) go on each stroll. Each stroll must include at least one
parent and at least one pet. There can never be a dog and a cat on the same stroll unless both
parents go.

(a) How many different groupings are possible if exactly one parent and Rover, the oldest family
dog, go on the stroll?
(b) How many different groupings are possible if exactly one parent goes on the stroll?

4. (Counting) Consider a set of n + m balls of which n are red and m are blue. Assume that all red
balls and all blue balls are indistinguishable. How many different linear orderings are there for
which no two red balls are adjacent?

5. (Conditional probability) We roll two fair 6-sided dice. Each one of the 36 possible outcomes is
assumed to be equally likely.

(a) Find the probability that doubles are rolled.

(b) Given that the roll results in a sum of 4 or less, find the conditional probability that doubles
are rolled.
(c) Find the probability that at least one die roll is a 6.
(d) Given that the two dice land on different numbers, find the conditional probability that at
least one die roll is a 6.

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6. (Conditional probability) A box contains 6 white and 9 black balls. If 4 balls are to be randomly
selected without replacement, what is the probability that the first 2 selected are white and the
last 2 black?