Practical Notebook Questions

STAT-402 | Statistics and Probability

Question No. 01
If a card is drawn from 52 playing cards. Find the probability that:
(a) First card is red
(b) The card is diamond
(c) Third card is 10

Solution:
(a) n(S) = 52, A = 26
Let A represent the event card is red.
P(A) = 26/52 = 0.5
(b) Let B represent the event card is diamond.
P(B) = n(B)/n(S)
P(B) = 13/52 = 0.25
(c) Let C represent the event card is 10.
P(C) = n(C)/n(S)
P(C) = 4/52 = 0.076

Question No. 02
A pair coin is tossed 3 times. What is the probability that at least one head appears?

Solution:
n(S) = 23 = 8
n(S) = {HHH, HHT, HTH, THH, HTT, THT, TTH, TTT}
Let A represent the event at least one head:
A = {HHH, HHT, HTH, THH, HTT, THT, TTH}
n(A) = 7
P(A) = n(A)/n(S)
P(A) = 7/8 = 0.875

Question No. 03
If two pair of dice are thrown, what is the possibility of getting:
(a) A double 6
(b) Sum of 8 and more

Solution:
S = {(1,1),(1,2),(1,3),(1,4),(1,5),(1,6),(2,1),(2,2),(2,3),(2,4),(2,5),(2,6),(3,1),(3,2),(3,3),(3,4),(3,5),(3
,6),(4,1),(4,2),(4,3),(4,4),(4,5),(4,6),(5,1),(5,2),(5,3),(5,4),(5,5),(5,6),(6,1),(6,2),(6,3),(6,4),(6,5),(6,6
)}
n(S) = 36
(a) Let A represent the double six:
 A = {(6,6)}
n(A) = 1
P(A) = n(A)/n(S) = 1/36 = 0.027
(b) Let B represent the event that sum is 8 and more:
B = {(2,6),(3,5),(3,6),(4,4),(4,5),(4,6),(5,3),(5,4),(5,5),(5,6),(6,2),(6,3),(6,4),(6,5),(6,6)}
n(B) = 15
P(B) = n(B)/n(S) = 15/36 = 0.416

Question No. 04
Six white balls and 4 black balls are placed in a bag. If 6 balls are taken from the bag, find the
probability of 3 white and 3 black balls.

Solution:
Total = 6 + 4 = 10
n(S) = 10C6 = 10! / 6!(10-6)! = 210
Let A represent the event that 3 white and 3 black balls:
n(A) = 4C3 · 6C3
n(A) = 4 · 20 = 80
P(A) = n(A)/n(S) = 80/210 = 0.3809

Question No. 05
An employer wishes to hire 3 people from a group of 15 applicants: 8 men and 7 women. All have
equal qualification to fill the position. If he selects 3 at random, what is the probability that all 3 will be
men / at least one will be woman?

Solution:
n(S) = 15C3 = 455
Let A represent that all 3 are men (8 men, 7 women):
n(A) = 8C3 · 7C0 = 56
P(A) = n(A)/n(S) = 56/455
Let B represent the event of at least one woman and 3 will be men:
n(B) = 7C1·8C2 + 7C2·8C1 + 7C3·8C0
n(B) = 28 + 168 + 35 = 231
P(B) = n(B)/n(S) = 231/455

Question No. 06
Four items are taken at random from a box of 12 items. The box is rejected if more than one item in
the box is found to be faulty. If 3 faulty items in a box, find the probability that the box is accepted.

Solution:
n(S) = 12C4 = 495
Let A represent the event the box is accepted:
n(A) = 3C0·9C4 + 3C1·9C3
= 1·126 + 3·84
 n(A) = 378
P(A) = n(A)/n(S) = 378/495 = 42/55

Question No. 07
If a card is selected at random from 52 playing cards. What is the probability that the card is club or a
face card or both?

Solution:
Let A represent the event the card is club:
n(A) = 13, n(S) = 52
P(A) = n(A)/n(S) = 13/52
Let B represent the event the card is face:
n(B) = 12
P(B) = n(B)/n(S) = 12/52
Let C represent the event card is both:
P(A∩B) = n(A∩B)/n(S) = 3/52
By Addition Theorem:
P(A∪B) = P(A) + P(B) - P(A∩B)
P(A∪B) = 13/52 + 12/52 - 3/52
= 25/52 - 3/52
P(A∪B) = 22/52

Question No. 08
Three horses A, B and C in a race. A is twice as likely to win as B and B is twice as likely to win as C.
What is the probability that A or B wins?

Solution:
P(C) = p, P(B) = 2p, P(A) = 4p
We know: P(A) + P(B) + P(C) = 1
4p + 2p + 1p = 1
7p = 1
p = 1/7
P(A) = 4/7, P(B) = 2/7
By Addition Theorem:
P(A∪B) = P(A) + P(B)
P(A∪B) = 4/7 + 2/7
P(A∪B) = 6/7

Question No. 09
Two coins are tossed. What is the probability that two heads are given, given that there is at least one
head?

Solution:
n(S) = 4 = {HH, TH, HT, HH}
Let A represent the event of two heads.
Let B represent the event of at least one head (condition).
P(A|B) = P(A∩B) / P(B)
A = {HH}
B = {HH, HT, TH}
A∩B = {HH}
P(A∩B) = 1/4, P(B) = n(B)/n(S) = 3/4
P(A|B) = P(A∩B)/P(B) = (1/4) / (3/4)
P(A|B) = 1/3
 Topic: Multiplication Theorem

Question No. 01
A box contains 15 items, 4 of which are effective and 11 are good. 1 item is selected at random. What
is the probability that the first item is good and second is defective?

Solution:
Let A represent first item is good.
Let B represent second item is defective.
P(A) = 11/15
P(B|A) = 4/14
P(A∩B) = P(A) · P(B|A) = 11/15 · 4/14 = 44/210 = 22/105

Question No. 02
Two events A and B such that the probability of A is 1/4 and probability of A|B is 1/2 and B|A is 2/3.
Then A and B is mutually exclusive? Find the probability of (A∩B) and probability of B.

Solution:
P(A) = 1/4, P(A|B) = 1/2, P(B|A) = 2/3
P(A∩B) = ?
Formula:
P(A∩B) = P(A) · P(B|A) = 1/4 · 2/3 = 2/12 = 1/6
P(A∩B) = P(B) · P(A|B)
2/12 = P(B) · 2/2
2/12 × 2 = P(B)
P(B) = 2/6 = 1/3

Question No. 03
Find the probability distribution of the sum of dots when two fair dice are thrown. Use the probability
distribution to find the probability of obtaining:
a) Sum of 8 and 11
b) Sum is greater than 8
c) Sum is greater than 5 and less than or equal to 10

Solution:

x 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

P(x) 1/36 2/36 3/36 4/36 5/36 6/36 5/36 4/36 3/36 2/36 1/36

Part A:
P(x=8) or P(x=11)
= P(x=8) + P(x=11)
= 5/36 + 2/36 = 7/36
Part B:
P(x > 8) = P(x=9) + P(x=10) + P(x=12)
= 4/36 + 3/36 + 1/36 = 8/36 = 2/9
Part C:
P(5 < x ≤ 10) = P(x=6) + P(x=7) + P(x=8) + P(x=9) + P(x=10)
= 5/36 + 6/36 + 5/36 + 4/36 + 3/36 = 23/36
 Topic: Probability Distribution (Binomial Distribution)

Question No. 01
If a coin is tossed 5 times, find the probability of obtaining various numbers of heads.

Solution:
n = 5, p = 1/2, q = 1/2
Where x is the number of heads: x = 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
P(x=0) = 5C0(1/2)0(1/2)5 = 1/32
P(x=1) = 5C1(1/2)1(1/2)4 = 5/32
P(x=2) = 5C2(1/2)2(1/2)3 = 5/16
P(x=3) = 5C3(1/2)3(1/2)2 = 5/16
P(x=4) = 5C4(1/2)4(1/2)1 = 5/32
P(x=5) = 5C5(1/2)5(1/2)0 = 1/32

No. of Heads 0 1 2 3 4 5

Probability 1/32 5/32 5/16 5/16 5/32 1/32

Question No. 02
An event has the probability p = 3/8. Find the complete binomial distribution for n = 5.

Solution:
p = 3/8, q = 1 - 3/8 = 5/8, n = 5
x = 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
P(x=0) = 5C0(3/8)0(5/8)5 = 3125/32768
P(x=1) = 5C1(3/8)1(5/8)4 = 9375/32768
P(x=2) = 5C2(3/8)2(5/8)3 = 11250/32768
P(x=3) = 5C3(3/8)3(5/8)2 = 6750/32768
P(x=4) = 5C4(3/8)4(5/8)1 = 2025/32768
P(x=5) = 5C5(3/8)5(5/8)0 = 243/32768

No. of Heads 0 1 2 3 4 5

Probability 3125/32768 9375/32768 11250/32768 6750/32768 2025/32768 243/32768

Question No. 03
Let x have the binomial distribution with n = 4 and p = 1/3. Find probability of x = 1, prob of x = 3/2,
prob of x = 3, prob of x = 6 and prob of x ≤ 2.

Solution:
n = 4, p = 1/3, q = 1 - 1/3 = 2/3
P(x=1) = 4C1(1/3)1(2/3)3 = 4 · (1/3) · (8/27) = 32/81
P(x=3/2) = 0
In binomial, we use integers 0,1,2,3,4 — so P(x = 3/2) = 0.
P(x=6) = 0
 In P(x=6), the value of x is always less or equal to n. Here n=4, so x goes to maximum 4.
Therefore P(x=6) = 0.
P(x ≤ 2) = P(x=0) + P(x=1) + P(x=2)
= P(0) + P(1) + P(2)

Question No. 04
A and B play a game in which the probability of winning is 2/3 in a series of 8 games. What is the
probability that A will win:
★ Exactly 4 games
★ At least 4 games
★ 6 or more games
★ From 3 to 6 games

Solution:
p = 2/3, q = 1 - 2/3 = 1/3, n = 8
P(x=4) = 8C4(2/3)4(1/3)4 = 1120/6561
P(x ≥ 4) = P(x=4) + P(x=5) + P(x=6) + P(x=7) + P(x=8)
= 1120 + 1792 + 1792 + 1024 + 256 / 6561
P(x ≥ 4) = 5984/6561
P(x ≥ 6) = P(x=6) + P(x=7) + P(x=8)
= 1792 + 1024 + 256 / 6561 = 3072/6561
P(3 ≤ x ≤ 6) = P(3) + P(4) + P(5) + P(6)
= 448 + 1120 + 1792 + 1792 / 6561 = 5152/6561
 Topic: Variance and Mean of the Binomial Distribution

Question No. 01
In the BA examination, 24 candidates offered course statistics in a probability of passing the subject
1/3. Find the mean and dispersion (variance) of the distribution.

Solution:
n = 24, p = 1/3, q = 1 - 1/3 = 2/3
To find mean and variance:
Mean = n(p) = 24(1/3) = 24/3 = 8
Variance = npq = 24(1/3)(2/3) = 48/9 = 16/3

Question No. 02
If x is the binomial distribution with mean = 3.2 and the var = 1.152. Find the complete binomial
probability distribution.

Solution:
Mean = np = 3.2
Var = npq = 1.152
q = 1.152/3.2 = 0.36
To find p:
p = 1 - q = 1 - 0.36 = 0.64
npq = 1.152
n = 1.152/0.2304 = 5
x=0→5
 Topic: Hypergeometric Distribution

Question No. 01
A bag contains 4 red balls and 6 black balls. A sample of 4 balls is selected from the bag without
replacement. Let x be the number of red balls contain in a sample. Find the probability distribution.

Solution:
N = 10, k = 4, n = 4
x = 0, 1, 2, 3, 4
10
C4 = 210
P(x=0) = 4C0·6C4/210 = 15/210 = 1/14
P(x=1) = 4C1·6C3/210 = 80/210 = 8/21
P(x=2) = 4C2·6C2/210 = 90/210 = 3/7
P(x=3) = 4C3·6C1/210 = 24/210 = 4/35
P(x=4) = 4C4·6C0/210 = 1/210

x 0 1 2 3 4

P(x) 1/14 8/21 3/7 4/35 1/210

Question No. 02
The names of 5 men and 5 women are written on a slip of paper and placed in a bowl. 4 names are
drawn. What are the probability that 2 are men and 2 are women?

Solution:
N = 10, k = 5, n = 4, x = 0 to 4
We want exactly 2 men and 2 women:
P(x=2) = 5C2·5C2 / 10C4
P(x=2) = 10·10 / 210
■ 5C2 = 10; 10C4 = 210
P(x=2) = 100/210 = 10/21