1

JEE Challengers
Probability Practice Sheet - 02

1. A number is chosen randomly from one of the two 5. A student appears for test I, II and III. The student is
sets X = {2001, 2002, 2003, ..., 2100}, Y = {1901, successful if he passes either in tests I and II or tests
1902, 1903, ..., 2000}. If the number chosen I and III. The probabilities of the student passing in
represents a calendar year and p is the probability 1
tests I, II, III are p, q and respectively. If the
that selected year has 53 Sundays, then 2800p is 2
equal to 1
probability that the student is successful is , then
2
2. Consider a town with n people. A person spreads a (1) p = 1, q = 0
rumour to a second, who in turn repeats it to a third 2 1
(2) p  , q 
and so on. Suppose that at each stage, the recipient 3 2
of the rumour is chosen at random from the 3 2
(3) p  , q 
remaining (n – 1) people. The probability that the 5 3
rumour will be repeated n times without being (4) there are infinitely many values of p and q
repeated to the originator is
n 1 7. If a  [–20, 0], then the probability that the graph of
(1)
n the function y = 16x2 + 8(a + 5)x – 7a – 5 is strictly
above the x-axis is
n 1
(2) (1) 1/2 (2) 1/17
(n  2)(n  3)
(3) 13/20 (4) none of these
( n 1)
 1 
(3) 1   8. Three dice are thrown. The probability of getting a
 n 1 
sum which is a perfect square is
n2 2 9
(4)   (1) (2)
 n 1  5 20
1
(3) (4) none of these
3. If A and B are independent events such that 0 < P(A) 4
< 1, 0 < P(B) < 1, then
(1) A, B are mutually exclusive 9. 7 white balls and 3 black balls are placed in a row at
random. The probability that no two black balls are
(2) A and B are independent adjacent is
(3) A, B are independent 1 7
(1) (2)
 A 2 15
 A
(4) P    P    1 2 1
B B (3) (4)
15 3

4. A fair coin is tossed n times. Let X = the number of 10. A coin is tossed n times. The probability of getting
times head occurs. If P(X = 4), P(X = 5) and P(X = at least one head is greater than that of getting at
6) are in A.P., then the value of n can be 5
least two tails by . Then, n is
(1) 7 (2) 10 32
(3) 12 (4) 14 (1) 5 (2) 10
(3) 15 (4) none of these
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Paragraph for Ques. No. 11 to 15 13. If 1  r  8, pn equals

Let n = 10k + r, where k, r  N, 0  r  9. A number (2k  1) 2k
(1) (2)
a is chosen at random from the set {1, 2,...., n} and n n
let pn denote the probability that a2 – 1 is divisible (2k  1) k
(3) (4)
by 10. n n

11. If r = 0, pn equals 14. lim pn equals

n 

2k (k  1) 1 2
(1) (2) (1) (2)
n n 10 5
(2k  1) k (3)
1
(4)
3
(3) (4)
n n 5 5

15. If qn denote the probability that a2 + 1 is divisible by

12. If r = 9, pn equals
10, then lim qn equals
n 
2k 2(k  1)
(1) (2) 1 2
n n (1) (2)
5 5
(2k  1) k
(3) (4) 3
n n (3) (4) none of these
5
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Answer Key
1. (498) 9. (2)
2. (3) 10. (1)
3. (2, 3, 4) 11. (1)
4. (1, 4) 12. (2)
5. (1, 2, 3, 4) 13. (3)
6. (2) 14. (3)
7. (3) 15. (1)
8. (4)
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Hints & Solutions

1. (498) So, total number of ways is (n – 1) (n – 2)n–1
We have, n 1
(n  1)(n  2)n 1  n  2 
P( E )   
X = {2001, 2002, 2003, ….., 2100} (n  1)n  n 1 
Y = {1901, 1902, 1903, ….., 2000} ( n 1)
 1 
P( E )  1  
Then  n 1 
24 leap years 25 leap years
X Y
76 ordinary years 75 ordinary years 3. (2, 3, 4)
Let E be the event that randomly chosen year has 53 Since, A and B are independent events
Sundays
P(A  B) = P(A)P(B)
P(E) = P(E  L) + P(E  O)
Then, A and B are independent A and B are also
E E
 P( L)  P    P(O) P   independent.
L O
Hence, P ( A  B )  P ( A) P ( B )
1  24 2 76 1  1  25 2 75 1 
        
2 100 7 100 7  2 100 7 100 7  and P ( A  B )  P ( A) P ( B )

249  A  P( A  B) P( A  B)
 p  A
1400 and P    P    
B B P( B) P( B)
 2800p = 2 × 249 = 498
P( A)  P( B) P( A) P( B)
   P ( A)  P ( A)
P( B) P( B)
2. (3)
 P ( A)  1  P ( A)  1
Let there are n people A1, A2, A3 ... An
So, Let us assume that A1 starts the rumors so, A1
can has (n – 1) options. The next person has (n – 1) 4. (1, 4)
options and similarly they all have (n – 1) options. P(X = 4), P(X = 5) and P(X = 6) are in A.P.,
So, total number of ways in which rumors can  2 P ( X  5)  P ( X  4)  P ( X  6)
spread is (n – 1) . n

P( X  4) P( X  6)
 n(S) = (n – 1)n  2 
P( X  5) P( X  5)
Now let us consider the case in which the rumors
n
C4 nC6
does not get back to the originator. 2 n

C5 nC5
Now, A1 has (n – 1) choices
 n 2  21n  98  0
The next person has (n – 2) choices
The next person again has (n – 2) choices  n  7, 14

The last person has (n – 2) choices

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5. (1, 2, 3, 4) l /2 l /2

Let A, B, C be the events that the student is  

0 l /2  x
dydx
So, required probability = l lx
successful in tests I, II and III respectively, then
P(the student is successful)
  dydx
0 0

 P  ( A  B  C ')  ( A  B ' C )  ( A  B  C )  l /2
l  l 
l /2

     x   dx
 2  2   x dx l2
 P ( A  B  C ')  ( A  B ' C )  ( A  B  C )  0
 l 0  82 
1
l
l 4
 P ( A) P ( B ) P (C ')  P ( A) P ( B ') P (C )  (l  x)dx
0

0
(l  x) dx
2
 P( A) P ( B ) P (C )

 1 1 1
= pq 1    p(1  q)  ( pq)   7. (3)
 2 2 2 Since, the graph of y = 16x2 + 8(a + 5)x – 7a – 5 is
1 strictly above x-axis, therefore
 p(1  q)
2
y > 0 for all x
1 1  16x2 + 8(a + 5)x – 7a – 5 for all x
  p(1  q)
2 2
 Discriminant < 0
 p (1  q )  1
 64(a + 5)2 + 64(7a + 5) < 0
 a2 + 17a + 30 < 0
6. (2)
 –15 < a < –2
Let the lengths of three parts of the rod be x, y and 2

l – (x + y).  dx
15 13
Then x > 0, y > 0 and l – (x + y) > 0 So, required probability = 0

20
i.e., x + y < l or y < l – x  dx
20
Since, in a triangle, the sum of any two sides is
greater than third side, so
8. (4)
x + y > l – (x + y) n(S) = 6 × 6 ×
1 Clearly, the sum of varies from 3 to 18, and among
 y x
2
these 4, 9, 16 are perfect squares.
x  l  ( x  y)  y The number of ways to get the sum 4
1 = The number of integral solutions of
 y
2 x1 + x2 + x3 = 4
y  l  ( x  y)  x where 1  x1  6, 1  x2  6,1  x3  6
1 = coefficient of x4 in ( x  x 2  ...  x 6 )3
 x
2
3
 1  x6 
1 1 1 = coefficient of x in  
  x  y  and 0  x 
2 2 2  1 x 
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= coefficient of x in (1  x 6 )3  (1  x) 3  3C1 = 1 – probability of getting no tails – probability of

getting 2 tails
Similarly, the number of ways to get the sum 9
n 0 n 1
= coefficient of x6 in (1  x 6 )3  (1  x) 3 1 1 1 1
= 1  nCn       nCn 1   
2 2  2 2
= –3 × 1 + 8C6 = 28 – 3 = 25
1 1
The number of ways to get the sum 16 1 n
n n
2 2
= coefficient of x13 in (1  x 6 )3  (1  x) 3
 1   1 n  5
From the question, 1  n   1  n  
= coefficient of x13 in (1  3 x 6  3 x12  x18 )  2   2  32

(2C0 + 2C0 x + 2C0x2 +.....) n 1 1 5

or n
 n 
2 2 32
= 15C13 – 3 × 9C7 + 3 × 3C1
 n=5
= 105 – 108 + 9 = 6
 n(E) = 3 + 25 + 6 = 34
11. (1)
34 17
So, P(E) =  a2 – 1 is divisible by 10 if and only if last digit of a
6  6  6 108
is 1 or 9.
If r = 0, there are 2k ways to choose a.
9. (2)
2k
B B B B B B B B B B  pn 
W W W ... W W n

10!
n( S ) 
(7!)(3!) 12. (2)
If r = 9, then there are 2(k +1) ways to choose a and
8!
n( E )  C3 
8
, because there are 8 places for
(3!)(5!) 2(k  1)
pn 
n
3 black balls.
8!
13. (3)
(3!)(5!)
 P( E ) 
10! If 1  r  8, a cane be chosen in (2k + 1) ways.
(7!)(3!) (2k  1)
 pn 
(8!)(7!) 76 7 n
  
(10!)(5!) 10  9 15
14. (3)
10. (1) 1
When r = 0, pn =
The probability of getting at least one head 5
when r = 9,
= 1 – probability of getting no heads
2(1  1 / k ) 1
1
0
1
n
1 pn  
= 1  C0  
n
  1 n 10  r / k 5
2  2 2
as n and hence k  .
The probability of getting at least two tails
Similarly, we can prove for 1  r  8
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15. (1)
Similar to above.
Divide r as 0  r  2, 3  r  6 and 7  r  9

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