Chapter 2: Probability of Combined Events

Exercise 2A
Single Events · Possibility Diagrams · Tree Diagrams

Time Allowed: 2 Hours Questions: 10 Questions Answer ALL questions

Nam Clas Date

✦ BASIC LEVEL

1. A fair coin and a fair 6-sided die are tossed and rolled respectively. Using set notations, list the
sample space of the experiment.

2. A box contains 7 pens, 3 of which are faulty. A pen is drawn from the box at random.
Using set notations, list the sample space of this experiment and find the probability that the pen
drawn is not faulty.
Suppose the first pen drawn is not faulty and is not replaced. A second pen is now drawn. Find the
probability that the second pen drawn is faulty.

3. Each letter of the word 'POSSIBILITY' is written on identical cards. One card is chosen at
random. Find the probability that the letter on the chosen card is:
(i) a 'S'
(ii) a 'P' or an 'I'
(iii) a vowel
(iv) a consonant

4. A box contains three cards bearing the numbers 1, 2 and 3. A second box contains four cards
bearing the numbers 2, 3, 4 and 5. A card is chosen at random from each box.
(a) Display all the possible outcomes using a possibility diagram.
(b) With the help of the possibility diagram, calculate the probability that:
(i) the cards bear the same number,
(ii) the numbers on the cards are different,
(iii) the larger of the two numbers on the cards is 3.

5. A fair coin is tossed three times. Display all the possible outcomes using a tree diagram.
From your tree diagram, find the probability of obtaining:
(i) three heads
(ii) exactly two heads
(iii) at least two heads
 ✦ INTERMEDIATE LEVEL

6. A two-digit number is formed using the digits 1, 2 and 3. Repetition of digits is allowed.
(a) List the sample space.
(b) Find the probability that the two-digit number formed is:
(i) divisible by 3,
(ii) a perfect square,
(iii) a prime number,
(iv) a composite number.

7. The three daughters-in-law of Mrs Chan are expecting babies within the year. List the sample
space of the sexes of the three babies, given that each baby is equally likely to be a boy or a girl.
Hence, find the probability that Mrs Chan will have:
(i) three grandsons
(ii) two grandsons and one granddaughter
(iii) one grandson and two granddaughters

8. Two fair 6-sided dice were thrown together and the difference of the resulting numbers on their
faces was calculated.
(a) Copy and complete a possibility diagram showing the differences.
(b) Using the diagram, find the probability that the difference is:
(i) 1,
(ii) non-zero,
(iii) odd,
(iv) a prime number,
(v) more than 2.

✦ ADVANCED LEVEL

9. A box contains 7 electrical components. The box was dropped in transit and 1 of the
components became defective, but not visibly. The components are taken out at random and
tested until the defective component is found.
What is the probability that the defective component is the first component tested?

10. Two fair tetrahedral dice and a fair 6-sided die are rolled simultaneously. The numbers on each
tetrahedral die are 1, 2, 3 and 4, while the numbers on the 6-sided die are 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6.
What is the probability that the score on the 6-sided die is greater than the sum of scores of the
two tetrahedral dice?
 Chapter 2: Probability of Combined Events

Exercise 2B
Addition Law of Probability · Mutually Exclusive Events

Time Allowed: 2 Hours Questions: 10 Questions Answer ALL questions

Nam Clas Date

✦ BASIC LEVEL

1. Eleven cards numbered 11, 12, 13, …, 21 are placed in a box. A card is removed at random
from the box. Find the probability that the number on the card is:
(i) even
(ii) prime
(iii) either even or prime
(iv) divisible by 3
(v) neither even nor prime

2. A bag contains 7 red, 5 green and 3 blue marbles. A marble is selected at random from the bag.
Find the probability of selecting:
(i) a red marble
(ii) a green marble
(iii) either a red or a green marble
(iv) neither a red nor a green marble

3. The letters of the word 'MUTUALLY' and the word 'EXCLUSIVE' are written on individual cards
and placed into a box. A card is picked at random.
What is the probability of picking:
(i) the letter 'U'
(ii) the letter 'E'
(iii) the letter 'U' or 'E'
(iv) a consonant
(v) the letter 'U' or a consonant
(vi) the letter 'U' or 'E' or 'L'

4. The probability of a football team winning any match is 7/10 and the probability of losing any
match is 2/15.
What is the probability that:
(i) the team wins or loses a particular match
(ii) the team neither wins nor loses a match
 ✦ INTERMEDIATE LEVEL

5. A card is drawn at random from a standard pack of 52 playing cards. Find the probability of
drawing:
(i) a king or a jack
(ii) a queen or a card bearing a prime number
(iii) a card bearing a number that is divisible by 3 or by 5
(iv) neither a king nor a jack

6. When a golfer plays any hole, the probabilities that he will take 4, 5 or 6 strokes are 1/14, 2/7
and 3/7 respectively. He never takes less than 4 strokes.
Calculate the probability that in playing a hole, he will take:
(i) 4 or 5 strokes
(ii) 4, 5 or 6 strokes
(iii) more than 6 strokes

7. In a basketball tournament, three of the participating teams are Alpha, Beta and Gamma. The
probabilities of each of these three teams winning the tournament are 4/15, 1/10 and 1/5
respectively.
Find the probability that:
(i) Alpha or Gamma will win the tournament
(ii) Alpha, Beta or Gamma will win the tournament
(iii) neither Alpha nor Gamma will win the tournament
(iv) none of these three teams will win the tournament

8. Every year, only one student can win the Student of the Year Award. The probabilities of Priya,
Rui Feng and Amirah winning the award are 1/3, 1/8 and 1/20 respectively.
What is the probability that:
(i) one of them will win the award
(ii) none of them will win the award
(iii) Priya and Rui Feng will not win the award

✦ ADVANCED LEVEL
9. In a probability experiment, three fair coins are tossed, one after another.
(a) Display all the possible outcomes using a tree diagram.
(b) Events A, B, C and D are defined as follows:
A: All three coins show heads.
B: At least two coins show tails.
C: Exactly one coin shows a head.
D: The sides appear alternately.
For each pair, state whether the events are mutually exclusive:
(i) A and B (ii) C and D (iii) B and C (iv) A and C (v) B and D (vi) A, B and C

10. In a game, Jun Wei attempts to score a penalty kick against a goalkeeper. There is an equal
chance he will score or miss his kick. Jun Wei has three chances to score; the game ends once he
scores.
(a) Draw a tree diagram to show all possible outcomes. What is the total number of outcomes?
(b) Events A and B are defined as follows:
A: Exactly two penalty kicks are attempted.
B: At most two penalty kicks are attempted.
Are A and B mutually exclusive events? Explain your answer.
 Chapter 2: Probability of Combined Events

Exercise 2C
Multiplication Law · Independent & Dependent Events

Time Allowed: 2 Hours Questions: 10 Questions Answer ALL questions

Nam Clas Date

✦ BASIC LEVEL

1. Ethan has two bags, each containing 5 black marbles and 4 red marbles. He takes one marble
at random from each bag.
(a) Copy and complete the tree diagram shown.
(b) Find the probability that Ethan draws:
(i) a black marble from the first bag,
(ii) a red marble from the second bag, given that he draws a black marble from the first bag,
(iii) a black marble from the first bag and a red marble from the second bag,
(iv) a red marble from the second bag.

2. A bag contains 6 red balls and 4 yellow balls. A ball is chosen at random and then put back into
the bag. The process is carried out twice.
(a) Copy and complete the tree diagram shown.
(b) Find the probability of choosing:
(i) two red balls,
(ii) one ball of each colour,
(iii) a yellow ball on the second draw.

3. Ethan takes either Bus A or Bus B to school every day. Bus A and B each either arrive
punctually or late. The probabilities of Bus A and Bus B arriving punctually are 2/3 and 7/8
respectively.
Find the probability that:
(i) both buses are punctual
(ii) Bus A is late while Bus B is punctual
(iii) exactly one of the buses is late
4. In a group of 8 boys, 3 are left-handed and 5 are right-handed. Two boys are chosen at random
from the group.
(a) State the probability that the first boy chosen is left-handed.
(b) The second boy is chosen from the remaining 7 boys. What is the probability that the second
boy is also left-handed, given that the first boy chosen is left-handed?
(c) Copy and complete the tree diagram. Then find the probability that:
(i) the first boy is right-handed and the second is left-handed,
(ii) both boys are left-handed,
(iii) the second boy chosen is left-handed.

✦ INTERMEDIATE LEVEL

5. A class has 30 girls and 15 boys. Two representatives are to be selected at random from the
class.
Find the probability that:
(i) the first representative is a girl
(ii) the second representative is a girl, given that the first representative is a boy
(iii) the first is a boy and the second is a girl
(iv) a boy and a girl are selected as representatives

6. A bag contains 6 green and 4 blue cards. The card drawn is returned to the bag and after mixing
thoroughly, Shirley takes two cards at random, one after another.
(a) Find the probability that the first card drawn is green.
(b) Using a tree diagram, calculate the probability that Shirley has taken out:
(i) two green cards,
(ii) one card of each colour,
(iii) at least one blue card.

7. A woman goes to the supermarket once a month for grocery shopping. The probability that she
buys a sack of rice is 4/9.
Find the probability that:
(i) she will not buy a sack of rice in a particular month
(ii) she will not buy a sack of rice in two particular consecutive months
(iii) she buys a sack of rice in just one of two particular months
8. In a wardrobe, there are 16 shirts: 8 are black, 6 are white and 2 are blue. The shirts are
identical except for their colour.
(a) If two shirts are taken out of the wardrobe, find the probability that:
(i) both are black,
(ii) one shirt is black and the other is white,
(iii) the two shirts are of the same colour.
(b) If a third shirt is also taken out, calculate the probability that all three shirts are black.
(c) Can we use the Multiplication Law of Probability to obtain the answer in (b)? Explain your
answer.

✦ ADVANCED LEVEL

9. In any given year, the probabilities of a volcanic eruption in each of the countries A, B and C are
0.03, 0.12 and 0.3 respectively.
For any given year, find the probability that:
(i) volcanic eruptions will occur in all three countries
(ii) no volcanic eruptions will occur
(iii) there is at least one volcanic eruption
(iv) there are exactly two volcanic eruptions

10. A bag contains 10 red balls, 9 blue balls and 7 yellow balls. Three balls are drawn in
succession without replacement.
By drawing a tree diagram or otherwise, find the probability of obtaining:
(i) a red ball and two blue balls, in that order
(ii) a red, a yellow and a blue ball, in that order
(iii) three balls of different colours