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Practice: probability

Practice: probability

1

P(A)=0.5\displaystyle {P(A)}={0.5}, P(B)=0.4\displaystyle {P(B)}={0.4}, P(A∩B)=0.15\displaystyle {P(A\cap B)}={0.15}.

a

Work out P(A∪B)\displaystyle P(A\cup B).

    / – fraction bar · Tab or the arrows – between numerator and denominator, then a note above or below · Enter – check and a new line · * – times · ^ – power, ↓ – end of the power

    / – fraction bar · Tab or the arrows – between numerator and denominator, then a note above or below · Enter – a new line · * – times · ^ – power, ↓ – end of the power

    b

    What is the probability that neither of the two events happens?

      / – fraction bar · Tab or the arrows – between numerator and denominator, then a note above or below · Enter – check and a new line · * – times · ^ – power, ↓ – end of the power

      / – fraction bar · Tab or the arrows – between numerator and denominator, then a note above or below · Enter – a new line · * – times · ^ – power, ↓ – end of the power

      c

      What is the probability that A\displaystyle A happens and B\displaystyle B does not?

        / – fraction bar · Tab or the arrows – between numerator and denominator, then a note above or below · Enter – check and a new line · * – times · ^ – power, ↓ – end of the power

        / – fraction bar · Tab or the arrows – between numerator and denominator, then a note above or below · Enter – a new line · * – times · ^ – power, ↓ – end of the power

        2

        300 residents of a town were asked how they get to work or to their studies:

        By busBy bikeBy carTotal
        Young604515120
        Adults5020110180
        Total11065125300

        A resident is chosen at random.

        a

        What is the probability that the resident comes by bike?

          / – fraction bar · Tab or the arrows – between numerator and denominator, then a note above or below · Enter – check and a new line · * – times · ^ – power, ↓ – end of the power

          / – fraction bar · Tab or the arrows – between numerator and denominator, then a note above or below · Enter – a new line · * – times · ^ – power, ↓ – end of the power

          b

          What is the probability that the resident is young and comes by car?

            / – fraction bar · Tab or the arrows – between numerator and denominator, then a note above or below · Enter – check and a new line · * – times · ^ – power, ↓ – end of the power

            / – fraction bar · Tab or the arrows – between numerator and denominator, then a note above or below · Enter – a new line · * – times · ^ – power, ↓ – end of the power

            c

            You met a young resident of the town. What is the probability that the resident comes by car?

              / – fraction bar · Tab or the arrows – between numerator and denominator, then a note above or below · Enter – check and a new line · * – times · ^ – power, ↓ – end of the power

              / – fraction bar · Tab or the arrows – between numerator and denominator, then a note above or below · Enter – a new line · * – times · ^ – power, ↓ – end of the power

              d

              You met a resident who comes by car. What is the probability that the resident is young?

                / – fraction bar · Tab or the arrows – between numerator and denominator, then a note above or below · Enter – check and a new line · * – times · ^ – power, ↓ – end of the power

                / – fraction bar · Tab or the arrows – between numerator and denominator, then a note above or below · Enter – a new line · * – times · ^ – power, ↓ – end of the power

                e

                Why are the answers to parts c and d different, although both are about “young” and “by car”?

                3

                A factory has two machines.
                Machine A makes 60% of the parts, and machine B 40%.
                5% of machine A’s parts are faulty, and 10% of machine B’s.
                A part is chosen at random.

                Write the probabilities on the branches and each path’s probability.

                a

                What is the probability that the part is faulty?

                  / – fraction bar · Tab or the arrows – between numerator and denominator, then a note above or below · Enter – check and a new line · * – times · ^ – power, ↓ – end of the power

                  / – fraction bar · Tab or the arrows – between numerator and denominator, then a note above or below · Enter – a new line · * – times · ^ – power, ↓ – end of the power

                  b

                  The part is faulty. What is the probability that it was made by machine A?

                    / – fraction bar · Tab or the arrows – between numerator and denominator, then a note above or below · Enter – check and a new line · * – times · ^ – power, ↓ – end of the power

                    / – fraction bar · Tab or the arrows – between numerator and denominator, then a note above or below · Enter – a new line · * – times · ^ – power, ↓ – end of the power

                    4

                    Three boxes, A\displaystyle A, B\displaystyle B and C\displaystyle C, hold black and white balls:

                    • box A\displaystyle A – two black balls and three white;
                    • box B\displaystyle B – three black balls and two white;
                    • box C\displaystyle C – four black balls and one white.

                    A box is chosen at random, and one ball is drawn from it at random.

                    a

                    What is the probability of drawing a white ball?

                      / – fraction bar · Tab or the arrows – between numerator and denominator, then a note above or below · Enter – check and a new line · * – times · ^ – power, ↓ – end of the power

                      / – fraction bar · Tab or the arrows – between numerator and denominator, then a note above or below · Enter – a new line · * – times · ^ – power, ↓ – end of the power

                      b

                      A white ball is known to have been drawn. What is the probability that it was drawn from box B\displaystyle B?

                        / – fraction bar · Tab or the arrows – between numerator and denominator, then a note above or below · Enter – check and a new line · * – times · ^ – power, ↓ – end of the power

                        / – fraction bar · Tab or the arrows – between numerator and denominator, then a note above or below · Enter – a new line · * – times · ^ – power, ↓ – end of the power

                        c

                        The ball is put back.
                        Two balls are drawn at random from box C\displaystyle C, one after the other, without putting back.

                        What is the probability that after the drawing no white ball is left in box C\displaystyle C?

                          / – fraction bar · Tab or the arrows – between numerator and denominator, then a note above or below · Enter – check and a new line · * – times · ^ – power, ↓ – end of the power

                          / – fraction bar · Tab or the arrows – between numerator and denominator, then a note above or below · Enter – a new line · * – times · ^ – power, ↓ – end of the power

                          5

                          Bag A holds seven yellow scarves and five red ones.
                          Bag B holds ten scarves: some yellow, and the rest red.
                          One scarf is drawn at random from bag A and one from bag B.
                          The probability that both scarves are yellow is 740\displaystyle \frac{7}{40}.

                          a

                          How many yellow scarves are there in bag B? Call the number of yellow scarves in bag B x\displaystyle x, and write an equation.

                            b

                            Each scarf is put back in its bag, and again one scarf is drawn from bag A and one from bag B.
                            The scarves drawn are known to be of different colours.

                            What is the probability that the scarf from bag B is yellow?

                              / – fraction bar · Tab or the arrows – between numerator and denominator, then a note above or below · Enter – check and a new line · * – times · ^ – power, ↓ – end of the power

                              / – fraction bar · Tab or the arrows – between numerator and denominator, then a note above or below · Enter – a new line · * – times · ^ – power, ↓ – end of the power

                              c

                              Each scarf is put back in its bag again.
                              A bag is chosen at random, and two scarves are drawn from it at random, without putting back.

                              What is the probability that both scarves are red?

                                / – fraction bar · Tab or the arrows – between numerator and denominator, then a note above or below · Enter – check and a new line · * – times · ^ – power, ↓ – end of the power

                                / – fraction bar · Tab or the arrows – between numerator and denominator, then a note above or below · Enter – a new line · * – times · ^ – power, ↓ – end of the power

                                6

                                A fair die is thrown once.
                                A\displaystyle A – a number less than 3 comes up.
                                B\displaystyle B – an odd number comes up.

                                a

                                Work out P(A∩B)\displaystyle P(A\cap B).

                                  / – fraction bar · Tab or the arrows – between numerator and denominator, then a note above or below · Enter – check and a new line · * – times · ^ – power, ↓ – end of the power

                                  / – fraction bar · Tab or the arrows – between numerator and denominator, then a note above or below · Enter – a new line · * – times · ^ – power, ↓ – end of the power

                                  b

                                  Are A\displaystyle A and B\displaystyle B independent? Explain.

                                  7

                                  Yossi plays three games of backgammon, one after the other. In each game he wins or loses (there are no draws).
                                  If Yossi won a game, the probability that he wins the next one too is p\displaystyle p.
                                  If he lost a game, the probability that he loses the next one too is p\displaystyle p.
                                  p>0.5\displaystyle p>0.5.

                                  a

                                  Yossi is known to have won the first game. Express in terms of p\displaystyle p the probability that he loses the second game and wins the third.

                                  b

                                  Yossi is known to have won the first game, and the probability that he wins the third is 1325\displaystyle \frac{13}{25}. Write an equation and find p\displaystyle p.

                                    c

                                    The probability that Yossi wins all three games is 0.144\displaystyle 0.144. Using the p\displaystyle p you found, find the probability that he wins the first game. Call it q\displaystyle q.

                                      8

                                      2% of the people in a population have a certain disease.
                                      A test for the disease is positive in 95% of those who have it.
                                      The test is also positive in 10% of those who are healthy.
                                      A person is chosen at random and tested.

                                      Write the probabilities on the branches and each path’s probability.

                                      a

                                      What is the probability that the test is positive?

                                        / – fraction bar · Tab or the arrows – between numerator and denominator, then a note above or below · Enter – check and a new line · * – times · ^ – power, ↓ – end of the power

                                        / – fraction bar · Tab or the arrows – between numerator and denominator, then a note above or below · Enter – a new line · * – times · ^ – power, ↓ – end of the power

                                        b

                                        The test came out positive. What is the probability that the person is ill? Round to two decimal places.

                                          / – fraction bar · Tab or the arrows – between numerator and denominator, then a note above or below · Enter – check and a new line · * – times · ^ – power, ↓ – end of the power

                                          / – fraction bar · Tab or the arrows – between numerator and denominator, then a note above or below · Enter – a new line · * – times · ^ – power, ↓ – end of the power

                                          c

                                          Most of those whose test is positive are healthy. Explain how this can be, when the test finds 95% of those who are ill.