1.
A bag contains 20 balls, 3 are coloured red, 6 are coloured green, 4 are coloured blue, 2 are coloured
white and 5 are coloured yellow. One ball is selected at random. Find the probabilities of the
following events. (a) the ball is either red or green (b) the ball is not blue (c) the ball is either red or
white or blue.
(a) P(R or G) = P(R) + P(G) = 3 /20 + 6/ 20 = 9 /20 .
(b) P(R or G or W or Y ) = 1 − P(B) = 1 – 4/ 20 = 16/ 20 = 4/5 .
(c) P(R or W or B) = P(R) + P(W) + P(B) = 3 /20 + 2/ 20 + 4/ 20 = 9/ 20 .
2. In a hospital unit there are eight nurses and five physicians. Seven nurses and three physicians are
females. If a staff person is selected, find the probability that the subject is a nurse or a male.
P(nurse or male) = P(nurse) + P(male) – P(male nurse) = 8/13 + 3/13 – 1/13 = 10/13.
3. Define dependent and independent events.
Independent events: Two events are independent events if the occurrence of one event does not
affect the likelihood that the other event will occur.
Dependent events: Two events are dependent events if the occurrence of one event does affect
the likelihood that the other event will occur.
4. Determine whether the events are dependent or independent:
You randomly choose a marble, put it back, and then randomly choose another marble. Are the
events “choose a red marble first” and “choose a blue marble second” independent or dependent?
Independent
Rolling a 4 and then Rolling a 6 "These two events are independent. Rolling a 4 on the first
roll does not affect the chance of rolling a 6 on the second roll. "P(A)=1/6 and P(B)=1/6
Turning off the lights and winning the lottery. Independent
Murdering a person and going to jail. Dependent
Winning a contest and a dog barking. Independent
Drinking an alcohol and getting drunk. Dependent
5. You find that when you drive to school you have a 0.7 probability that you'll hit at least one red light,
and you have a 0.4 probability that you'll hear your favourite song on the radio. Are these events
dependent or independent? Why? What is the probability that you will not have to wait at a red light
and will hear your favourite song?
Independent events: the occurrence of one event does not affect the likelihood that the other
event will occur.
P(A) hitting a red light = 0.7
P(B) hearing your favourite song = 0.4
P(A') not hitting a red light = 0.3
P(A' and B) = P(A') x P(B) = 0.3 x 0.4 = 0.12
