Probability

If an event can happen in 'a' ways and fail ex.2. From a bag containing 4 white and 5 black
in 'b' ways, and each of these ways is equally balls a man draws 3 at random, what are
likely, then probability or the chance, or its hap- the odds against these being all black?
a b Sol: The total no. of ways in which 3 balls can
pening is , and that of its failing is
a b a b . be drawn is 9 C3 and the no. of ways of
e.g., If in a lottery there are 7 prizes and 25
blanks, the chance that a person holding 1 ticket drawing 3 black balls is 5 C3 ; therefore
7 the chance of drawing 3 black balls is
will win a prize is , and his chance of not
32 5
C3 5.4.3 5
25 9
 
winning is . C3 9.8.7 42
32
Thus the odds against the event are 37
If p is the probability of the happening to 5.
of an event, the probability of its not happening
ex.3. Find the chance of throwing at least one
is 1 p . ace in a simple throw with two dice.
Instead of saying that the chance of the Sol: The possible no. of cases is 6  6 or 36 .
a An ace on one die may be associated
happening of an event is
a  b , it is sometimes with any of the 6 numbers on the other die, and
the remaining 5 numbers on the first die may be
stated that the odds are 'a' to 'b' in favour of the associated with the ace on the second die, thus
event, or 'b' to 'a' against the event. the number of favourable cases is 11.
If c is the total no. of cases, each being
equally likely to occur, and of these 'a' are 11
favourable to the event, then the probability that  Required chance 
36
a ex.4. Find the chance of throwing more than
the event will happen is , and the probability 15 in one throw with 3 dice.
c
Sol: A throw amounting to 18 must be made
a up of 6, 6, 6 and this can occur in 1 way,
that it will not happen is 1 .
c 17 can be made up of 6, 6, 5 which can
occur in 3 ways, 16 may be made up of
ex.1. What is the chance of throwing a number 6, 6, 4 and 6, 5, 5 each of which arrange-
greater than 4 with an ordinary die whose ments can occur in 3 ways.
faces are numbered from 1 to 6.
Therefore the [Link] favourable cases is =
Sol: There are 6 possible ways in which the 1+ 3 + 3 + 3 = 10 and the total number of
die can fall, and of these two are
favourable to the event required. cases is 63  216  required chance

2 1 10 5
 required chance   .  
6 3 216 108
ex.5. What is the probability that a digit se-
lected at random from the logarithmic
1
will win is . Assuming that a dead
table is (i) 1, (ii) 3 or 7. 8
Sol: Various digits in the log table are 0, 1, 2, heat is impossible, find the chance
3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, i.e. a total of 10 digits that one of them will win.
is used.
1
(i) The number of favourable cases for get- Sol: Probability that A wins ( p1 )  , that
ting 1, out of 10 all equally likely cases is 6
1 1
one  Prob. of getting 1 is . B wins ( p2 )  and that C wins
10 10
(ii) The no. of favourable cases for getting 3 1
( p3 )  . As a dead heat is impos-
2 1 8
or 7 is 2.  Required Prob.   . sible, these are mutually exclusive
10 5
events, so the chance that one of them
ex. 6. Find out the probability of forming 563 of
169 with the digits 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 will win the race is p1  p2  p3 i.e.
when only numbers of three digits are
formed and when
1 1 1 47
   .
(i) repetitions are not allowed. 6 10 8 120
(ii) repetitions are allowed. ex.8. Two balls are to be drawn from a bag
containing 5 red and 7 white balls; find
Sol: (i) when repetitions are not allowed: the chance that they will both be white.
The total ways of forming numbers of
three digits with 9 given digits is Sol: Here any one pair of balls is as likely
9
to be drawn as any other pair. The
P3  9  8  7  504 . Of these, 12
total number of pairs is C2 , and the
favourable are two, i.e. 563 and 169.
So the required probability is number of pairs which are both white

2 1 is 7 C2 , .

504 252 The required chance is therefore
(ii) When repetitions are allowed: Out of 7.6 12.11 7

given 9 digits, 3 digit numbers can be 1.2 1. 2 22 .
formed in 9  9  9  729 ways.
Of these two are favourable cases, ex.9. Find the chance of drawing 2 white
balls in succession f rom a bag
2 conatining 5 red and 7 white balls, the
Probability  balls drawn not being replaced.
729
Sol: The chance of drawing a white ball the
ex.7. In a race where 12 horses are running,
the chance that horse A will win is 7
first time is ; and, having drawn a
1 1 12
, that B will win is and that C white ball the first time, there will be
6 10 5 red and 6 white balls left, and
 therefore the chance of drawing a white contains only one red ball, the chance
1 6
6 being and respectively..
ball the second time will be . 11 11
11 EXERCISE
Hence the chance of drawing two
white balls in succession will be 1. From a pack of 52 cards, two are drawn
at random. Find the chance that one is a
7 6 7 knave and the other a queen.
  .
12 11 22 a) 6 663 b) 8
663
ex. 10. There are two bags, one of which con-
tains 5 red and 7 white balls and the c) 663
8 d) 52
663
other 3 red and 12 white balls, and a e) None
ball is to be drawn from one or other
of the two bags; find the chance of 2. A bag contains 5 white, 7 black, and 4
drawing a red ball. red balls. Find the chance that three balls
drawn at random are all white.
Sol: The chance of choosing the first bag
1 a) 1
56 b) 2
56
is , and if the first bag be chosen
2 c) 3 d) 4
56 56
the chance of drawing a red ball from e) None of these
5 3. What is the chance of throwing an ace
it is ; hence the chance of draw- in only the first of two successive throws
12 with an ordinary dice.
ing a red ball from the first bag is
1 5 5 a) 3
36 b) 4
36
  . Similarly the
2 12 24 c) 5
36 d) 7
36
chance of drawing a red ball from the e) None of these
1 3 1 4. Three cards are drawn at random from
second bag is   . an ordinary pack; find the chance that
2 15 10
they will consist of a knave, a queen and
Hence as these events are mutually
a king.
exclusive, the chance required is
11 12
5 1 37 a) b)
  . 5525 5525
24 10 120
15 16
ex. 11. In two bags there are to be put alto- c) d)
5525 5525
gether 2 red and 10 white balls, nei-
ther bag being empty. How must the e) None of these
balls be divided so as to give a person 5. If 8 coins are tossed, what is the chance
who draws one ball from either bag. that one and only one will turn up head?
Sol: (i) the least chance and (ii) the greatest a) 1 b) 3
32 32
chance of drawing a red ball.
(i) The least chance is when one bag con- c) 5
32 d) 7
32
tains only one white ball, and the
e) None of these
greatest chance is when one bag
 6. In a certain town, the ratio of males to Answers:
females is 1000 : 1987. If this tendency 1. (b) 2. (a) 3. (c) 4. (d)
is expected to continue, what is the
chance that a newly born baby is male? 5. (a) 6. (a) 7. (b) 8. (d)
9. (a) 10. (a)
a) 1000
1987 b) 1000
2987
INEQUALITIES AND MAXIMA & MINIMA
c) 1987 d) 2987
1000 1000 Any quantity is said to be greater than another
e) None quantity b when a - b is positive. Thus, 2 is
greater than -3 as 2 - (-3) = 5 is +ve.
7. What is the chance that a leap year, se-
lected at random, will contian 53 Also, b is said to be less than a when b-a is -ve.
sundays? Thus - 5 less than - 2, because - 5 - (-2)= -3,
which is -ve.
a) 1
7 b) 2
7 Zero must be regarded as greater than any -ve
quantity and less than any +ve quantity.
c) 3
7 d) 4
7
RULE 1- An inequality will still hold after each
e) None side has been increased, diminished, multiplied
8. Out of all the integers from 1 to 100, a or divided by the same +ve quantity.
number is selected at random. what is i.e., if a > b,
the probability that the selected number a+c>b+c
is not divisible by 7 ?
a-c>b-c
a) 40
50 b) 41
50 ac > bc c is positive
c) 42
50 d) 43
50 a b

e) None of these c c
9. 100 students appeared for two examina- RULE 2 - In an inequality any term may be
tions. 60 passed the first, 50 passed the transposed from one side to the
second and 30 passed both. Find the other if its sign is changed. i.e. if a -
probability that a student selected at ran- c> b, then a> b+c, or -c>b-a.
dom has failed in both the examinations.
RULE 3 - If the sides of all the terms of an
a) 1
5 b) 2
5 inequality be changed, the sign of
the inequality must be reversed. i.e.
c) 3
5 d) 4
5 if a>b, then b < a.
e) None RULE 4 - If the signs of all the terms of an
inequality be changed, the sign of
10. A child is asked to pick up two balloons the inequality must be reversed. ie.
from a box containing 10 blue and 15 red
if a> b, then -a< -b or -ac < -bc,
balloons. What is the probability of the
where c is +ve.
child picking at random two balloons of
different colours ? RULE 5 - If the sides of an inequality be
mutiplied by the same -ve quantity,
a) 1
2 b) 1
3 the sign of the inequality must be
rev ersed. i.e. if a > b, then
c) 1
4 d) 1
5 -ac < -bc; where c is +ve.

RULE 6- If a>b, then a n  b n , and

 then
1 a n  1 b n or a  n  b  n ; if n is
m
a +ve quantity.  a m  b m  c m ..... k m   a  b  c ..... k 
    
RULE 7 - The square of every real quantity is  n   n 
+ve and therefore must be greater unless m is a positive proper fraction.
than zero.
RULE 11- It a, b, c are +ve and not all equal,
2 2 2
i.e. ( a  b)  0; a  b  zab; Similarly,, then (a + b + c) (ab+ bc + ca) >
9 abc and, (b + c) (c + a) (a + b) >
xy 8 abc.
 xy , x  0, y  0
2
ax a
Hence the arithmetic mean of two +ve quantities RULE 12-  OR 
is greater than their geometric mean. b x b according as
RULE 8 - If the sum of two +ve quantities is a < OR > b is x be positive or
given, their product is greatest when according as a> OR <b if x is
they are equal; and if the product of negative.
two +ve quantities is given, their sum
is least when they are equal. a  c  e  ......
RULE 13-
RULE 9 - If a, b, c, .......k are n unequal b  d  f  ...... is less than the
quantities, then, greatest and greater than the least,
n
 a  b  c ...... k  a c e
   a. b. c. d ....... k of the fractions , , ,.......
 n 
b d f
a  b  c  ......... k RULE 14- If a>x , b>y, c>z then
i.e.  ( a. b. c. ..... k ) a + b + c + .....> x + y + z +.... and
n abc......> x y z........
Therefore , the arithmetic mean of any number
of +ve quantities is greater than their geometric RULE 15- a 2  b 2  c 2  bc  ca  ab .
mean.
RULE 10- If a and b are positive and unequal, RULE 16 - | n2  nn .
m
a m  bm  a  b  RULE 17- For any positiv e integer n
 
2  2  , except 1
when 'm' is a position proper fraction.
2  (1  ) n  3
n
If m is a positive integer or any
m
RULE 18 - a 2 b  b 2 c  c2 a  3abc
m m
a b  a  b
negative quantity  
2  2  a b c d
RULE 19 -    4
If m is positiv e and less than1, b c d a
m
a m  bm  a  b  RULE 20 - a 4  b 4  c 4  d 4  4 abcd
,  
2  2  ex.1. W hich of the two number
If there are n positive quantities a, b, c, ......k, 1000000
(1000001
. ) and 2 is greater?
 1 20
Sol: (1. 000001)1000000  (1  )1000000
1000000 ex. 5. Solve 2 x  4  
Which is greater than 2. (RULE 17). 3

ex. 2. which of the two numbers 10001000 20 8 4

Sol: 2x   4 2 x   x 
3 3 3
and 1001999 is greater ?
ex. 6. Solve (-2x + 3)  6
999 1000 3
1001  1001  1 2 x  3  x  
Sol:   .  2
10001000  1000  1001
ex. 7. Solve ( x  3) ( x  4)  0
1000 ( x  3) ( x  ( 4)  0;
 1  1
1   .
 1000  1001  x does not lie between - 4 and
3.
1
which is  3 . 1 ex. 8. Solve x 2  8 x  7  0
1001
( x  1) ( x  7)  0 ;
 10001000  1001999
 [ x  ( 1)] [ x  ( 7)]  0
2
ex. 3. Find that min value of x  4 x  7  x lies between - 7 and -1.
f or real v alues of x.
ex. 9 Slove x 2  8 x  7  0
2 2
x  4 x  7  ( x  2)  3
( x  7) ( x  1)  0;  x does not lie
Sol: A perfect square is always positive, between 1 and 7.
i.e., it cannot be less than zero. 
the given expression is least when ex. 10. If w satisfies both the following in
equalities, and w is an integer, what
( x  2) 2  0 values can w have ?
 min: value = 3 (i) 5 ( w  10)  4 w  0
ex . 4 Find the maximum v alue of
(ii) 8  7 w  3 (2 w  1)
.  4 x  4 x 2 for real values of x .
35
Sol: 5w  50  4 w  0 ; w   50
Sol: .  4 x  4 x 2  4.5  (1  4 x  4 x 2 )
35
8  7 w  6w  3 ;w  5  w
 4.5  (1  2 x ) 2 lies between -50 and -5.
 the given expression is maximum
when (1  2 x ) 2 is least. ie, when x 2
ex. 11. P 22 ;
1  2x  0 .
3 3

 maximum value = 4.5 and this Q  12  2 x  8  x 

1
occurs when x  . R  10  4 x  14 ;
2

S  0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
If x is an integer, list the members of the  y is negative
following sets;
5 5
(a) PS (b) QS When x  but  7; x  +ve and
2 2
(c) RS (d) PQS 7  x is ve .  y is positive.

(e) ( P  R)  S 5
when x  7, x  is +ve and 7-x
2
x 2 x 2 is -ve;  y is -ve.
Sol: P:  2  2 i.e. 
3 3 3 3  The given expression is positive only as long
 P   3, 4, 5..... 1
as x is between 2 and 7.
2
Q: 12  2 x  8  x i. e.  x   4; x  4,
ex. 13. Find the greatest v alue of
 Q  [3, 2, 1, 0,  1,.....]
(a  x ) 3 (a  x ) 4 for any real value
R  10  4 x  14 i. e.  4 x  4, x  1, of x.
 R  [ 0, 1, 2, 3, .....] The given expresssion is greatest
when:
Therefore, P  S  [ 3, 4 , 5]
ax ax a
 OR x .
Q  S  [ 0, 1, 2, 3] 3 4 7
Thus the greatest v alue is
R  S  [ 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
63 . 84 7
P  Q  S  [ 3] a .
77
( P  R )  S  [ 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
(a) 3, 4, 5 (b) 0,1,2,3 [Note : a m b n c p ........... will be
greatest when the f actors
(c) 0,1,2,3,4,5 (d) 3
(e) 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. a b c
   .... ]
ex. 12. Between what values of x, is the m n p
expression 19 x  2 x 2  35 Remember : In order that a x 2  bx  c may
positive? be always +ve, b 2  4ac must be -
ve or 0, and a must be +ve. In order
Sol: Let y denote the given expression, that ax 2  bx  c may be always
y   (2 x 2  19 x  35) negative, b 2  4ac must be -ve or
0 and a must be -ve.
  (2 x  5) ( x  7) ex. 14 Find the greatest v alue of
5 x2
 (2 x  5) ( 7  x )  2( x  ) ( 7  x )
2 x  3x  6 for real values of x.
2 2
5 5
when x  ;x  is -v e and
2 2 x2
(7 - x) is +ve, Sol: Let Y  2
; then
2x  3 x  6
 The Second f actor is always
2 yx 2  (3 y  1) x  6 y  2  0 .
positive, hence x 3  16 x is greate
If x is real,
if x  1 .
(3 y  1) 2  8 y (6 y  2) must be
EXERCISE
positive  (1+13y) (1  3 y) must be
1 1. If x be positive, find the greatest values of
+ve. Hence y must lie between (5  x ) ( x  3)
3
1 a) 16 b) 16 c) 18
and  and its greatest value is
13 d) 20 e) None of these
1 2. If x be real, find the max. and min. values
.
3
x2  x  1
ex. 15: Find the least value of 3x  4 y if of 2
x  x 1
x 2 y 3  6, x and y are positive. a) 2, 12 b) 3, 13
3 4 c) 4, 14 d) 4, 15
Sol: Let A  x ; B  y;
2 3 d) 5, 15 e) None of these
2
4 A 27 3
 x2 y 3  . B 6 1
9 64 3. Find the max. value of
1  x  x 2 for
 A2 B 3  32 real values of x.
Now, 3x + 4y = 2A + 3 B. also, a) 1 b) 2
3 3
A.A.B.B.B = 32. The least value of
A+A+B+B+B will be so when all the c) 4
3 d) 5
3 e) None
quantities are equal. (RULE 8). 1
4. Find the min. value of x  .
 A  B  2;  Least v alue of x
3x  4 y  2  2  3  2  10 . a) 2 b) 3 c) 4 d) 5

ex. 16. If x may have any real value, find e) None

which is greater, x 3  16 x OR 5. Find the greatest value of x 2 y 2 when
x  3 y  6c.
7 x 2  10 .
49 4 25 4
a) c b) c
Sol: x 3  16 x  7 x 2  10 has a factor 16 16
x-1. 36 4 81 4
c) c d) c e) None
16 16
 x 3  7 x 2  16x  10
Answers:
 ( x  1) ( x 2  6 x  10) 1. (b) 2. (b) 3. (c) 4. (a)
 ( x  1)[( x  3) 2  1] 5. (d)