2021

PSMM 2012
FOUNDATION MATHEMATICS III

Module 6
PROBABILITY

Name:

Class:

Date:

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What is Probability?

• Probability is the measurement of possible occurrence of an event expressed either

in the form of fractions or percentages.
• The probability of an event occurring is determined by the value between 0 to 1.
0 ≤ 𝑃(𝐴) ≤ 1
• 𝑃(𝐴) = 0, event A is not certain to happen.
• 𝑃(𝐴) = 1, event A is certain to happen.
𝑁𝑢𝑚𝑏𝑒𝑟 𝑜𝑓 𝑜𝑐𝑐𝑢𝑟𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝐴
𝑃(𝐴) =
𝑁𝑢𝑚𝑏𝑒𝑟 𝑜𝑓 𝑡𝑟𝑖𝑎𝑙𝑠
𝑛(𝐴)
𝑃(𝐴) =
𝑛(𝑆)
Basic terms:

• Experiment: The observations to obtain the required results.

• Outcome: The possible values that obtained from the experiment.
• Sample space:
- A set that contains all the possible outcomes of an experiment.
- Sample space, S is written by using a set of notations.
• Events:
- A set of outcomes which satisfy a specific condition
- A subset of the sample space
• Complement:
- All the outcomes which are not the outcomes of A (events).
- Complement A is represented by 𝐴̅ 𝑜𝑟 𝐴′
𝑃(𝐴̅) = 1 − 𝑃(𝐴)

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Practice 1:
A coin and a fair die are tossed simultaneously.
Events P and Q are defined as follows.
P = Event of obtaining a tail from the coin and an even number from the die.
Q = Event of obtaining a head from the coin and a number less than 5 from the die.
a) List the sample space, S.
b) List the elements of
I. Event P
II. Event Q
Solution:

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Practice 2:
2
The probability that a bottle of tomato sauce produced by a factory is spoilt is 27. Calculate
the probability that a bottle of tomato sauce chosen at random from the factory is not spoilt.
Solution:

Practice 3:

The diagram shows 8 cards with letters in a bag. A few extra cards with letter L are placed
into the bag and a card is drawn at random from the bag.
Calculate the number of cards with letter L that must be placed into the bag so that the
𝟏
probability of obtaining a card with letter L becomes 𝟐.

Solution:

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Probability of Combined Events

Combined events are events produced from union or intersection of two or more events.
In operation of sets,

• symbols of ∩ represents the intersection of sets

• symbols of ∪ represents the union of sets.

Dependent Events: If the probability of event A affects the probability of event B.

Independent Events: If the probability of event A does not affect the probability of event B.

Example:
Determine whether each of the following events is dependent or independent events.
a) Sharon chooses a history book and a science from a box of 20 books.

b) A die is tossed thrice consecutively and even numbers are obtained in all three
tosses.

c) Two pens are chosen randomly at the same time from a bag of 30 pens.

d) Two numbers are chosen one by one without replacement in a lucky draw which
contains 80 numbers.
Solution:
a)
b)
c)
d)

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Determining the probability of combined events

For a combined events A and B, the formula of probability of the combined events is,
𝑃(𝐴 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝐵) = 𝑃(𝐴 ∩ 𝐵)
n(A ∩ B)
𝑃(A ∩ B) =
n(S)
= 𝑃(𝐴) × 𝑃(𝐵)

Practice 4:
A box contains 80 tickets for lucky draw. 30 tickets are marked with X, 40 tickets are marked
with Y and the rest are marked with Z. A ticket is drawn at random for the first prize and
another ticket is drawn for the second prize. What is the probability that the first prize is
marked with Z and the second prize is marked with X?
Solution:

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The event where choices are made between event A r event B is known as mutually
exclusive events or non-mutually exclusive events.
Mutually Exclusive Events

A combined event A and B is known as a mutually exclusive event if there is no intersection

between events A and B, 𝐴∩𝐵=∅

Example:
A letter is chosen at random from the word “SEMBILAN”.
M = Event of getting a consonant.
N = Event of getting a vowel.

Non-Mutually Exclusive Events

The combined event of A and C are non-mutually exclusive because of 𝑃(𝐴 ∩ 𝐵) ≠ 0, then,
𝑃(𝐴 𝑜𝑟 𝐵) = 𝑃(𝐴) + 𝑃(𝐵) − 𝑃(𝐴 ∩ 𝐵)
Example:
A whole number is chosen at random from the number 20 to 40.
X = Event of getting an even number.
Y = Event of getting a multiple of 5.

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Example:
Eight cards labelled with the numbers "4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11" are put in a box. A card is chosen at
random from the box.
A is the event of getting a number greater than 8.
B is the event of getting a prime number.
C is the event of getting an even number.
Verify the addition rule of probability for each of the following combined events by listing all
the possible outcomes.
𝑎) 𝑃(𝐴 𝑜𝑟 𝐵)
𝑏) 𝑃(𝐴 𝑜𝑟 𝐶)
𝑐) 𝑃(𝐵 𝑜𝑟 𝐶)
Solution:

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Practice 5:
The table below shows the representatives from class A and class B chosen to visit some
orphanages during the moral week.

Class A Class B
Male Aidil Michael
Simon
Female Farah Brenda
Ziana

Two representatives from these classes are chosen at random to visit a few designated
orphanages.
a) List all the possible outcomes
b) By listing all the possible outcomes, find the probability that
I. A male and female student are chosen to visit the designated orphanages.
II. Both students chosen to visit the designated orphanages are from the same class
Solution:

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Probability Bingo
Brian Mehmed, 2011 WV APSI.

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Practice 6:
In a basketball tournament between team M and team N, the winning will
2
proceed to the semi-final. The probability of team M proceeds to semi-final is .
9
1
If proceeding to semi-final, the probability that M proceeds to final is . If team
3
5
M proceed to final, the probability that team M emerges as champion is .
7
Calculate the probability that,
a) Team N proceeds to semi-final
b) Team M proceeds to final but does not emerge as champion,
c) Team M or team N proceed to semi-final.

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