Probability Revision

Question 1 (1)

A box contains 5 black and 4 white counters. If I draw one out what is the chance of getting a white?

Question 2 (2)

A box contains 5 yellow, 3 green and 2 black counters. Find the probability that one counter chosen is:

(a) black

(b) yellow or black

Question 3 (2)

A box contains 8 blue, 4 red and 3 white counters. Find the probability that one counter chosen is:

(a) red

(b) not blue

Question 4 (2)

A fair die is rolled once. What is the probability of obtaining:

(a) an even number

(b) not a 4 or 5

Question 5 (1)

A die is rolled twice. What is the probability of a total of 11?

Question 6 (1)

2
If Alan has a 3 chance of winning, what is his chance of losing?

Question 7 (2)

A box contains tokens numbered 1 to 20. If one token is withdrawn, what is the probability of it being less
than 8?

Question 8 (2)

A coin is tossed 3 times. What is the probability of getting 3 heads?

Question 9 (2)

2
Sharon is playing 3 games of tennis. If her chance of winning each game is 3 find the chance she wins them
all.

Question 10 (2)

2
Sharon is playing 3 games of tennis. If her chance of winning each game is 3 , find the chance she wins the
first two only.

Question 11 (1)

Choose the correct answer.

A coin is tossed three times. The probability of getting at least two tails is:

7
A8

5
B8

1
C2

1
D4

3
E8

Question 12 (1)

If A = 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, find n(A).

Question 13 (2)

In a group of 20 people, 10 liked cola, 8 liked lemonade and 6 liked neither. How many people liked both
flavours?

Question 14 (2)

In a class of 25 students, 15 study French and 18 study German. If every student studies at least one
language, how many study both languages?
Question 15 (6)

The diagram shows the numbers of families in a class who get the Herald Sun (H), the Age (A), neither or
both.

(a) How many are there in the class?

(b) H ' is the set of families who do not get the Herald Sun. How many are there in H '?

(c) How many families are there in A'? What does this mean?

(d) How many families are there in the set A  H ? What does this mean?

(e) How many families are there in the set A'  H ' ? What does this mean?

(f) How many families are there in the set (A  H)' ? What does this mean?

(g) Can you explain why (A  H)' = A'  H ' ? What does this mean?

Question 16 (4)

4 1
In their next tests Catherine has a probability of 5 of passing while her friend Sally has a probability of 3
of passing the test. What is the probability that on their next test they:

(a) will both pass?

(b) will both fail?

Question 17 (6)

Three students attempt to solve a mathematical puzzle independent of each other. The first student has a
chance of 0.5 of solving the puzzle, the second student has a chance of 0.65 of solving the puzzle, while the
third student has a chance of 0.7 of solving the puzzle.

(a) What is the probability that all three solve the puzzle?

(b) What is the probability none of the students solve the puzzle?

(c) How many more times likely will all three students solve the puzzle than not solve it?

(d) What is the probability that at least one of the students solves the puzzle?
Give your answers correct to three decimal places.

Question 18 (5)

Analysis

A security system in an office building is guaranteed to work 100% of the time. The suppliers have designed
a system that uses a primary alarm and two backup alarms. The first backup alarm works in the event of a
power failure or some other problem with the primary source. The second backup alarm works when it
senses a problem with either of the first two alarms. Only one alarm works at any one time.

The primary source will work with a probability of 0.995, while the probability of the first backup alarm
working is 0.92 and the second backup alarm is 0.9.

(a) Show all the possibilities on a tree diagram.

(b) Is there a chance all three alarms will fail? If so, what is this possibility? Is the claim of the suppliers
correct.

Question 19 (4)

The probability of it raining on any given day in June is 0.4.

(a) Draw a probability tree diagram to show all the possible results for a two-day weekend.

(b) What is the probability of it raining at least one day over a two-day weekend?

Question 20 (4)

An archer fires two arrows at a target. The probability the archer hits the target with any one arrow is 0.9.

(a) Draw a probability tree diagram to show all possible results for two arrows being fired at the target.

(b) What is the probability that only the second arrow hits the target?

Question 21

Nick and Harry are playing a game of chess. Harry is just learning, so they decided to play until Harry has won one
game. They decided to play a maximum of three games. Probability of Harry winning any game 0.2.

a) Draw a tree diagram to represent the above situation.

b) What is the probability that Harry wins the third game?
c) Given that Nick wins the first game, what is the probability that Harry wins the third game?