2017 F-CH2-0

1. Let A, B, C be three arbitrary events, find the expression for the following
events:
a) Only A occurs
A ∩ B̄ ∩ C̄
b) None occurs
Ā ∩ B̄ ∩ C̄
c) One and no more occurs

(A ∩ B̄ ∩ C̄) ∪ (Ā ∩ B ∩ C̄) ∪ (Ā ∩ B̄ ∩ C)

d) Not more than two occur

(A ∩ B ∩ C)

that is the complement of the case where all occur. Notice the answer
is not

(A ∪ B ∪ C) \ A ∩ B ∩ C = (A ∪ B ∪ C) ∩ (Ā ∪ B̄ ∪ C̄)

because this does not count the case in which none occurs
2. A coin is tossed until for the first time the same result appears twice in
succession. Describe the sample space

Ω = {HH, HT T, HT HH, HT HT T, . . .}∪{T T, T HH, T HT T, T HT HH, . . .}

3. Find simple expressions (A ∪ B) ∩ (A ∪ B̄)

Solution

(A ∪ B) ∩ (A ∪ B̄) = A
since
(A ∪ B) ∩ (A ∪ B̄) = A ∪ (A ∩ B̄) ∪ (A ∩ B)

4. Find simple expressions (A ∪ B) ∩ (B ∪ C)

Solution

(A ∪ B) ∩ (B ∪ C) = B ∪ (A ∩ C)

5. At a barbecue, each guest has either a hamburger or a hot dog, possibly

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both. Twenty-five guests have a hamburger. Eighteen guests have a hot

dog. Ten guests have both a hamburger and a hot dog. How many guests
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were at the barbecue?

Solution
Let B be the set of those eating a hamburger and D be that of those
eating a hotdog, thus

|B| = 25, |D| = 18, |B ∩ D| = 10

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Since all eat at least one of the two foods N = B ∪ D is the Using the
inclusion-exlusion formula, we get
|B ∪ D| = |B| + |D| − |B ∩ D| = 33
(in this case a simple Venn diagram would give you immediately also the
answer)
6. Given 4 events, A, B, C, D, write the probability that no event will occur
and the probability that at least one event will occur, using the Poincaré
formula.
Solution
The probability that at least one event will occur is
P (A ∪ B ∪ C ∪ D) = P (A) + P (B) + P (C) + P (D)
−P (A ∩ B) − P (A ∩ C) − P (A ∩ D)
−P (B ∩ C) − P (B ∩ D) − P (C ∩ D)
+P (A ∩ B ∩ C) + P (A ∩ B ∩ D) + P (A ∩ C ∩ D) + P (B ∩ C ∩ D)
−P (A ∩ B ∩ C ∩ D)

and the probability no event will occur

P (Ā ∩ B̄ ∩ C̄ ∩ D̄) = 1 − P (A ∪ B ∪ C ∪ D)

7. Given 12 pairs of gloves, in how many ways can one take a right-hand
glove and a left-hand glove that are not a pair? Solution

12 · 11
since we can take the first glove in any way, but in order not to have a
pair there remain only 11 other choices
8. From a list of 100 names, in how many ways can one name a child without
giving him/her more than 3 names (assuming if more than one name is
given, it is not repeated)?
Solution
If one name only is used, there are 100 ways. If two are used, 100 · 99, if
three then 100 · 99 · 98. The sum of these numbers gives the answer
9. In how many ways can a manager of a chain of a supermarkets divide
between two of its branches 100 units of one product, 200 of another, 150
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of a third, and 11 of a fourth? [Notice divide means no branch is left

without products]
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(100 + 1) · (200 + 1) · (150 + 1) · (11 + 1) − 2

Of the first product, the manager can assign k = 0, · · · , 100 units to one
of the branches, and so for the other products. Since the products must
be divided between the two branches, then we should not count the cases
where all products are assigned to one branch.

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10. In a shop there are 30 articles for sale. How many choices does a customer
have?
Solution
S/he can buy one article or two articles or, ..., all thirty articles. Obviously
the order does not matter, so the binomial coefficient is to be used
30  
X 30
= 230 − 1
k
k=1

the sum being equal to 230 − 1 comes from the binomial formula.
11. How many permutations of the letters of the word BAALBEK, leave the
order of the vowels unchanged? Solution
We are looking for words such that AAE appears always in this order. If
the letters were all distinct the total number of permutations would be 7!.
However 2 B’s are the same so we do not want to permute them as they
would lead to the same word which we want to count once only. Thus we
need to divide by 2!. In addition we do not want to permute the AAE
letters, so we need to divide by the number of permutation of AAE (or
actually A1 A2 E since 7! assumes all letters are different). Hence
 
7! 4−1+4
= 420 = · 4!/2!
3!2! 3

Another way to solve this, given by the right-hand side. Place the AAE
in this specific order. Now the other 4 letters (B,B,E,K) can be placed in
n = 3 + 1 places (before the first A, between the two As, between the A
and E,
after the E). If the k = 4 letters were the same, we would have
4−1+4
3 possible allocations. However the letters are different (some of
them at least), so we need to take account of this. It is done by permuting
the BBEK in all possible ways:4!/2!.
Another way. Consider the letters BBEK. All possible different words
made of these four letters are 4!/2! = 12. Now let us place the k = 3
letters AAE in
all possible ways among the n = 5 places between the
BBEK: 5−1+3 3 = 35, giving the right answer 12 · 35 = 420.
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