Probability 2: constructing tree

diagrams

IB Studies
 AND and OR 1
A bag contains 3 red counters b) Find the probability that 2
and 2 blue counters. A counter blue counters are picked.
is picked at random, then
replaced in the bag. A counter P(blue)  P(blue) 4
2 2 
is then chosen again. 25
= 
5 5
a) Find the probability that 2 c) Find the probability that the
red counters are picked. 2 counters are picked are the
same colour.
You want: red AND red
You want:
Relace the AND with  . Red AND red OR blue AND blue
Re place the OR with +.
P(red)  P(red)
P(red)  P(red) + P(blue)  P(blue)
3 3 9    
=    3 3  2 2 13
5 5 25 =       
 5 5  5 5 25
 AND and OR 2
A tired maths teacher reaches b) two red socks,
into her sock draw in the 3 2
morning. She has 5 black and 3 P(red)  P(red)= 
red socks in the draw. She 8 7
picks two socks at random. 6
Find the probability that she 
picks,
56

a) two black socks, c) matching socks,

Note that this is a question
 5 4   3 2  26
without replacement, so be
      
careful with the second  8 7   8 7  56
probability.
d) socks of different colours.
5 4
P(black)  P(black)= 
8 7 26 30
1 
20 56 56

56
 Tree diagrams - construction
A bag contains 3 red counters and 2 blue counters. A counter is
picked at random, then replaced in the bag. A counter is then
chosen again.
Show this information on a tree diagram.
1st choice 2nd choice
9
3 red r AND r 
25
3 5
red
5 2 6
blue r AND b 
5 25
3
red 6
5 b AND r 
2 25
blue
5
2 4
blue b AND b 
5 25
 Tree diagrams - reading a table
9 Always fill in the
25 probabilities on at the end
of the branches, keep the
6 denominators the same and
25 ensure the total is 1.
6
25 This makes answering
questions much easier.
4
25
Find the probability that
c) the 2 counters picked 13
9 are of the same colour,
a) 2 red counters are 25
picked,
25
d) the 2 counters are
picked are of different
12
b) blue counters are 4
picked, colours. 25
25
 Question
An IB group has 10 males and 10 females. 4 males do SL maths and 6
do HL maths. 7 females do SL and 3 do HL maths. One male and one
female are chosen at random and their level of maths is noted.
a) Construct a tree diagram for this data.
Hence, calculate the probability
Male Female 28
7
SL that when a male and female are
100 chosen at random,
10
4 SL 18
12
b) both do HL,
10 3
HL 100 100
10
42 c) both do SL, 28
6 7 SL
10 HL 10 100 100

d) one does HL, 54

3 18
HL 100 and one does SL. 100
10
e) the male does HL, 42
the female does SL. 100