Chapter 8: Probability Olivia Chen Mathematics

Definition

• Probabilities are ratios. It is usually written as proper fraction. It can be expressed as decimal or
percentage.
• Probability is a measure of how likely it is for an event to happen. It is denoted by P(E).
𝑁𝑢𝑚𝑏𝑒𝑟 𝑜𝑓 𝑓𝑎𝑣𝑜𝑢𝑟𝑎𝑏𝑙𝑒 𝑜𝑢𝑡𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑠
• P(E) = 𝑇𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑙 𝑛𝑢𝑚𝑏𝑒𝑟 𝑜𝑓 𝑝𝑜𝑠𝑠𝑖𝑏𝑙𝑒 𝑜𝑢𝑡𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑠

EXAMPLE
A fair die is rolled. Find the probability of getting
=

⑪ 2 , , 4 , 64
(a) a 3, (b) an odd number.

I 8 I
=

Properties of probability

• The probability of an event lies between 0 and 1 inclusive. The closer to zero, then the more unlikely
the event will happen; the closer to 1, then the more likely the event will happen.

↓
↓ I I

1
Chapter 8: Probability Olivia Chen Mathematics

Exercise 1
[1 , 2, 3 , 4,5 , 6]
1. A fair die is thrown once. Find the probability of obtaining:
(a) A six
Ins
(b) An even number
(c) A number greater than 3
1b1
=: Is
I:
2. A fair spinner is spun once. What is the probability that the arrow lands on
(a) a blue sector
(b) a prime number

19184
=

(b)gY I
=

3. A bag contains 6 red balls, 2 blue balls and 4 green balls. One ball is drawn at random from the bag.
Find the probability that the ball is 90+Al 12
=

1917 =
(a) Red
(b) -
=
=

(b) Not blue

(c) Green
(d) Yellow
19
= 1d3 O

~----
4. One letter is selected at random from the word ‘UNNECESSARY’.
-
Find the probability of selecting:
↑01al 11
=

(a) an R
(b) an E
191
i
1918
(c) a C
(d) an O (b) ICI
1)
-
5. A bag contains 8 green marbles, 3 white marbles and 4 red marbles.
(a) A marble is chosen at random and then replaced. What is the probability that is it a white marble?
(b) How many more red marbles must be placed in the bag so that the probability of drawing a red
marble is ½? +x
* All
(b) (1
=

15 8
!
25
- -
=

19)
Yg = -
-
2
11 =

7
((4+)1) =
15 + x
8 (1 15 x
=
+ +
 +(
Chapter 8: Probability Olivia Chen Mathematics
↓
6. A box contains 10 gold beads, 5 pink beads and 3 silver beads.
(a) A bead is chosen at random and then replaced. What is the probability that the bead is not gold?
(b) How many more silver beads must be placed in the box so that the probability of drawing a
2
silver bead is 3?
211 36 q
=

311
-

3+11
-

(b) =

3
191 Y 18 F() 11 27
=
:

3(3+ (1) =
a)18 x) +

973) 36 2)
=
+

7. A letter from the work ‘DILIGENCE’ is selected at random. Find the probability that the letter selected
is
19) 4 (b) 5
(a) a vowel
(b) a consonant I q

2-101 100 numbers

=

8. Cards with the numbers 2 to 101 are placed in a hat. Find the probability of selecting:
(a) An even number Ib)
"" is
19)

(b) A number less than 14

198 =
(c) A square number 10) Square no
=

4 , 9 , 16 , 25 36 , 49 , , 64 81 100
, ,

(d) A prime number less than 20 % (d)

print = 2 , 3, 5 , 7 ,
11 , 13 , 17 , 19
188
9. There are 35 watches of which 𝑥 of them are defective. A watch is selected randomly and the
2
probability of selecting a defective watch is 7. Find 𝑥.
Si
- TH 7O
=

35
11 10
=

10. A bag contains 𝑥 red balls, (3𝑥 – 1) blue balls and (15 – 𝑥) purple balls. A ball is selected at random.
(a) Find, in terms of 𝑥, the total number of balls.
4
(b) Given that the probability of selecting a blue ball is 7, find the number of purple balls.

(a) (+ 311-1 + 15-1)

:
311
1b)
311+14
31 +14
=

71911-1) =

41311 + 14)
21x 7
=

1111
-

56
(111 -12(1 + 7
=

56
3
q(1
=

63 15 7 -
=

8
11 7
=
Chapter 8: Probability Olivia Chen Mathematics

Additions of Probabilities

Two events are mutually exclusive if they cannot occur at the same time.

The ‘OR’ rule

For exclusive events A and B

P (A or B) = p(A) + p(B)

EXAMPLE
One ball is selected at random from a bag containing 5 red balls, 2 yellow balls and 4
white balls. Find the probability of selecting a red ball or a white ball.

i +

Y =

Multiplication of Probabilities

Two events are independent if the occurrence of one event is unaffected by the occurrence of the other.

The ‘AND’ rule

For independent events A and B

P (A and B) = p(A) × p(B)

EXAMPLE
A fair coin is tossed and a fair die is rolled. Find the probability of obtaining a ‘head’ and
a ‘six’.

** iz
=

4
Chapter 8: Probability Olivia Chen Mathematics

Exercise 2

1. A ball is selected at random from a bag containing 3 red balls, 4 black balls and 5 green balls. The first
ball is replaced and a second is selected. Find the probability of obtaining:
(a) two red balls 19) R ,
R (b) 6 , 6

x? "Y
(b) two green balls
is x
is
=

2
2. The letters of the word ‘INDEPENDENT’ are written on individual cards and the cards are put into a
box. A card is selected and then replaced and then a second card is selected. Find the probability of
obtaining: 19) P, P (b) E , E
(a) The letter ‘P’ twice
i *
in is in
=

=
(b) The letter ‘E’ twice

3. A marble is drawn at random from a bag containing 6 green marbles and 4 yellow marbles. The marble
is replaced and a second marble is then drawn. Find the probability of obtaining

Yo is
(a) two green marbles 19) 8 , 6

joxp=
(b) one green marble and one yellow marble

X
4. A playing card is drawn at random from a standard pack of 52 playing cards. Find the probability of
drawing
(a) an ace or a picture card
(b) a 9 or a red queen
(c) neither a jack nor a king

5. The diagram shows a spinner with 8 equal numbered sectors. Each time the pointer is spun, it is equally
likely to stop on any of the sectors.
(a) March spins the pointer once. Find the probability that it stops on an even
number.
(b) Anne spins the pointer twice. Find the probability that the pointer stops on
an even number both times.
(c) Charlie spins the pointer twice. Find the probability that the sum of
numbers from both spins is not 6.

10) 3 3

even yo
,

(b)
1913 ↑
:

5
8x8 :4
1 -

3=
 Chapter 8: Probability Olivia Chen Mathematics

6. The table shows the information about a group of students.

Boy Girl
Wear spectacles 4 3
Do not wear spectacles 8 5

(a) A student is selected at random from the group. Find, as a fraction in its simplest form, the
probability that the student
(i) is a boy who wears spectacles
(ii) is a girl

(i) I
10 t
(ii) 8 =
,

(b) Two students are selected at random from the group. Find, as a fraction in its simplest form,
the probability that
(i) both students are boys
(ii) neither of them is a girl who wear spectacles
16 68
ii) boys
12
, boys
33
(ii) X
19
-

95
X
;
-

so 95
7. A box contains 16 balls. 3 are black, 6 are white and 7 are green. Two balls are drawn at random from
the box, one after the other without replacement. Find the probability that
19) (B , B) + (W , W) + 16 , 6)

(a) the two balls drawn are of the same colours :

(5) + (5) xis)

(b) the two balls drawn are of different colours
Y
-

(c) only one ball drawn is white

(d) no black balls are drawn 1b1
Yo
1- :

(e) the second ball drawn is green

(d) (W , W) + 16 8) +

(W , 6) +16 , W)
(2) (B W) + (W B) (G , W) +(W , 6)
,
, ,
+

=(x) 15) + (5) + /is)

+

-(iis)(ix) (sig)" (ioxis) -

8
=

I
6 It) (B , 6) +
(Ws6) +

(6 , 6)

-(ix5) 1yxY5)+ (5) is

:

+
Chapter 8: Probability Olivia Chen Mathematics

8. There are 6 black discs and 3 white discs in a bag.

(a) One disc is drawn at random from the bag. Find the probability that the disc drawn is white.
(b) The disc drawn is returned to the bag. Two discs are drawn at random, one after the other from
the bag without replacement. Find the probability that
(i) the second disc is black
(ii) two discs are of the same colour
(c) The two discs drawn are returned to the bag. One disc is drawn at a time without replacement
until a white disc is obtained. Find the probability that it will take exactly 3 draws to obtain the
white disc.

I
191 =

(b) (i) ( W , B) + (B B)
,

"(x9) +
(9x8)
-
(ii) (W , W) + (B B) ,

=(9x5) +
(9x8)
-I

10)
1B ,
B ,
W)
=

Y X8 X Y
-
7