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PROBABILITY
PROBABILITY: If there are ‘a’ elementary events associated with a random
experiment and ‘b’ of them are favorable to event ‘E’. Then the probability of
b
occurrence of event E is denoted by P (E) and is defined as .
a
b
∴ P (E) = ⇒ 0 ≤ P(E) ≤ 1
a
The probability of non-occurrence of event E denoted by P( E ) and is defined as
a−b
.
a
a−b b
⇒ P (E ) = = 1 − = 1 - P(E)
a a
⇒ P (E) + P( E ) = 1
If the random experiment is based on arrangement of objects then
arrangemen ts in favour
P (E) =
Total number of arrangemen ts
Similarly if the random experiment is based on selection of objects then
Selections in favour
P (E) =
Total number of selections

PROBLEMS

Directions (1-3): Study the given information carefully and answer the questions
that follow:
A basket contains 4 red, 5 blue and 3 green marbles.
1. If three marbles are picked at random, what is the probability that either all are
green or all are red?
7 7 5 1
a) b) c) d) e) None of these
44 12 12 44

ANSWER: d
Three marbles can be picked from 12 balls in 12 C 3 ways
Number of picks where all three are green = 3C 3
Number of picks where all three are red = 4 C 3
Number of picks where all are green or red = 3C 3 + 4C 3
3
C 3 + 4C 3 1+ 4 5 1
P(E) = = = =
12
C3 12 × 11 × 10 2 × 11 × 10 44
1× 2 × 3

2. If two marbles are picked at random, what is the probability that both are red?
3 1 2 1
a) b) c) d) e) None of these
7 2 11 6

ANSWER: e

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12 × 11
Two marbles can be picked in 12 C 2 = = 6 × 11 ways
1× 2
4×3
Number of picks where both are red = 4 C 2 = =6
1× 2
6 1
Probability P(E) = =
6 × 11 11

3. If three marbles are picked at random, what is the probability that at least one is
blue?
7 37 5 7
a) b) c) d) e) None of these
12 44 12 44

ANSWER: b
12 × 11 × 10
Three marbles can be picked in 12 C 3 = = 2 × 11 × 10 ways
1× 2 × 3
7×6×5
Number of picks where no marble is blue = ( 4 + 3) C 3 = 7 C 3 = = 7×5
1× 2 × 3
7×5 7
P( E ) = =
2 × 11 × 10 44
7 37
P( E ) = 1 − P( E ) = 1 − =
44 44

Directions (4-8): Study the following information carefully to answer the

questions that follow:

A box contains 2 blue caps, 4 red caps, 5 green caps and 1 yellow cap.
4. If two caps are picked at random, what is the probability that both are blue?
1 1 1 1
a) b) c) d) e) None of these
6 10 12 45
ANSWER: e
12 × 11
Two caps can be picked in 12 C 2 = = 66 ways
1× 2
Number of picks where both are blue = 2 C 2 = 1
1
Required Probability P(E) =
66

5. If four caps are picked at random, what is the probability that none is green?
7 5 7 5
a) b) c) d) e) None of
99 99 12 12
these

ANSWER: a
12 × 11 × 10 × 9
Four caps can be picked in 12 C 4 = = 11 × 5 × 9 ways
1× 2 × 3 × 4
( 2 + 4 +1) 7×6×5
Number of picks where no cap is green = C 4 = 7C 4 = 7C 3 = = 7×5
1× 2 × 3
7×5 7
Required Probability P(E) = =
11 × 5 × 9 99

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6. If three caps are picked at random, what is the probability that two are red and
one is green?
9 6 1 3
a) b) c) d) e) None of these
22 19 6 22

ANSWER: d
12 × 11 × 10
Three caps can be picked in 12 C 3 = = 2 × 11 × 10 ways
1× 2 × 3
Number of picks with two red caps and one green cap = 4 C 2 × 5 C1 = 6 × 5
6×5 3
Required Probability P(E) = =
2 × 11 × 10 22

7. If one cap is picked at random, what is the probability that it is either blue or
yellow?
2 1 3 6
a) b) c) d) e) None of these
9 4 8 11

ANSWER: b
One cap can be picked in 12 C1 = 12 ways
( 2 +1)
Number of picks with either blue or yellow cap = C 1 = 3C 1 = 3
3 1
Required Probability P (E) = =
12 4

8. If two caps are picked at random, what is the probability that at least one is red?
1 16 19 7
a) b) c) d) e) None of these
3 21 33 19

ANSWER: c
12 × 11
Two caps can be picked in 12 C 2 = = 66 ways
1× 2
( 2 + 5 +1) 8× 7
Number of picks where none is red = C 2 = 8C 2 = = 28
1× 2
28 14
P( E ) = =
66 33
14 19
P( E ) = 1 − P( E ) = 1 − =
33 33

Directions (9-13): Study the given information carefully to answer the questions
that follow:
A basket contains 6 blue, 2 red, 4 green and 3 yellow marbles.
9. If 2 balls are picked at random, what is the probability that either both are green
or both are yellow?
2 3 1 3
a) b) c) d) e) None of these
5 35 3 91
ANSWER: b
15 × 14
Two balls can be picked in ( 6+ 2+ 4+3) C 2 = 15C 2 = = 105 ways
1× 2

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4×3
Number of picks where both are green = 4 C 2 = =6
1× 2
Number of picks where both are yellow = 3C 2 = 3
Number of picks where both are green or both are yellow = 6 + 3 = 9
9 3
Required Probability P(E) = =
105 35

10. If 5 balls are picked at random, what is the probability that at least one is blue?
137 9 18 2
a) b) c) d) e) None of
143 91 455 5
these
ANSWER: e
15 × 14 × 13 × 12 × 11
Five balls can be picked in 15 C 5 = = 21 × 13 × 11 ways
1× 2 × 3 × 4 × 5
9×8× 7× 6
Number of picks with no blue ball = ( 2 + 4 + 3) C 5 = 9C 5 = 9C 4 = = 9×7× 2
1× 2 × 3 × 4
9×7× 2 42
P( E ) = =
21 × 13 × 11 1001
42 959
P( E ) = 1 − =
1001 1001

11. If 2 balls are picked at random, what is the probability that both are blue?
1 8 2 7
a) b) c) d) e) None of
5 91 15 27
these
ANSWER: e
15 × 14
Two balls can be picked in ( 6 + 2 + 4 + 3) C 2 = 15 C 2 = = 15 × 7 ways
1× 2
6×5
Two blue balls can be picked in 6 C 2 = = 3× 5
1× 2
3× 5 1
Required Probability P(E) = =
15 × 7 7

12. If 4 balls are picked at random, what is the probability that 2 balls are red and 2
are green
4 5 1 2
a) b) c) d) e) None of
15 27 3 455
these

ANSWER: d
15 × 14 × 13 × 12
Four balls can be picked in 15 C 4 = = 15 × 13 × 7 ways
1× 2 × 3 × 4
2 red and 2 green balls can be picked in 2 C 2 × 4C 2 = 1 × 6
1× 6 2
Required Probability P(E) = =
15 × 13 × 7 455

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13. If 3 balls are picked at random, what is the probability that none is yellow?
3 1 44 4
a) b) c) d) e) None of these
455 5 91 5

ANSWER: c
15 × 14 × 13
Three balls can be picked in 15 C 3 = = 35 × 13 ways
1× 2 × 3
12 × 11 × 10
Number of picks with no yellow ball = ( 6 + 2 + 4 ) C 3 = 12 C 3 = = 2 × 11 × 10
1× 2 × 3
2 × 11 × 10 44
Required Probability P(E) = =
35 × 13 91

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