Diagnostic Questions
Combined Events | Probability
GCSE Probability | Diagnostic Questions | Combined Events
This resource in a nutshell
Diagnostic questions are a quick and easy way of assessing your students’ knowledge and
understanding of a particular topic.
Students may be struggling with combined
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events for a number of different reasons.
Diagnostic questions can help to identify the Expand and simplify
particular misconception that the student has
(x + 2y)(4y - x)
and help to determine the specific support they
will need in order to improve.
x2 + 2y + 4y - x x2 + 8y + 2xy - x x2 + 8xy + 2y2 - x2 2xy - x2 + 8y2
They are low stakes and support students S u bm it A nswer
developing metacognition around how their
learning is progressing and what they need to do
to improve further.
At Third Space Learning, we use diagnostic questions before and after online tutoring sessions
to identify gaps and track progress, an example of this is shown above.
How to use the questions in this resource
There are 20 multiple choice questions, each designed to assess each of the key skills required to
master the given topic. Each question has one correct answer and three carefully chosen incorrect
answers that are designed to identify and highlight fundamental misconceptions, including: And /
Or probabilities, Calculations with fractions, Forming equations, and Mutually exclusive events.
When answering these questions, students should be encouraged to explain why they have
chosen a particular answer, and why the other three answers are incorrect. This can be done
verbally in small groups, or written down on the worksheet or in their books.
This resource has been designed to be as flexible as possible with questions that can be easily
chopped up and reordered, and come with a separate answer sheet that details all of the
misconceptions highlighted in the answers.
[Link] Helping schools close the maths attainment gap through targeted one to one teaching and flexible resources
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GCSE Probability | Diagnostic Questions | Combined Events
Diagnostic Questions: Combined Events
An unbiassed coin and a fair 6-sided dice are thrown simultaneously, with the
result recorded. What is the probability of the result being heads on the coin and
a six on the dice?
A) B)
C) D)
Events and are independent. Given that
determine :
A) 0.13 B) 0.85
C) 0.013 D) 0.15
A fair coin is flipped two times. What is the probability of getting tails twice?
A) B) 1
C) D)
[Link] Helping schools close the maths attainment gap through targeted one to one teaching and flexible resources
2
GCSE Probability | Diagnostic Questions | Combined Events
Diagnostic Questions: Combined Events
Two words are spelled using tiles. A tile is taken at random from word T and
word U. What is the probability that the letter displayed on both tiles is a vowel?
Word T : BISECTOR
Word U : S H A P E
A) B)
C) D)
A coin, coin and a 50p coin are flipped simultaneously and the result
recorded. Giving your answer as a decimal, find the probability that all three
coins land heads up:
A) 0.5 B) 0.15
C) 0.125 D) 0.75
[Link] Helping schools close the maths attainment gap through targeted one to one teaching and flexible resources
3
GCSE Probability | Diagnostic Questions | Combined Events
Diagnostic Questions: Combined Events
You spin these two fair spinners and add the numbers together.
What is the probability of getting a total score of 5?
A) B) 0
C) D)
A card is drawn at random from a standard deck of playing cards.
What is the probability that the card is a “spade” or a “5”?
A) B)
C) D)
[Link] Helping schools close the maths attainment gap through targeted one to one teaching and flexible resources
4
GCSE Probability | Diagnostic Questions | Combined Events
Diagnostic Questions: Combined Events
The probability that I am on time for work on Saturday is 0.95
The probability that I am on time for work on Sunday is 0.85
What is the probability that I am late on Saturday but on time on Sunday?
A) 0.8075 B) 0.1425
C) 0.0425 D) 0.0075
Two fair spinners are spun and their scores multiplied. Use the sample space to
determine the probability that the product is greater than ten:
1st spinner
2nd
spinner
A) B)
C) D)
[Link] Helping schools close the maths attainment gap through targeted one to one teaching and flexible resources
5
GCSE Probability | Diagnostic Questions | Combined Events
Diagnostic Questions: Combined Events
A tetrahedral die is rolled twice, and the scores added together. Use the sample
space diagram to determine the probability that the score is a multiple of three:
A) B)
C) D)
A numeric passcode for a mobile phone uses the digits 0-9. What is the
probability of “guessing” a five-digit passcode on the first attempt?
A) 0.5 B) 0.00001
C) 0.00005 D) 0.02
[Link] Helping schools close the maths attainment gap through targeted one to one teaching and flexible resources
6
GCSE Probability | Diagnostic Questions | Combined Events
Diagnostic Questions: Combined Events
A fair coin is flipped at the same time as an unbiassed die is rolled. What is the
probability of obtaining a number less than 3 on the die or a head on the coin?
A) B)
C) D)
The probability of it raining is 0.3. If it rains the probability of the bus being late is
0.4 If it is not raining the probability of the bus being late is 0.2. What is the
probability that the bus is on time?
bus on time
not
raining
bus is late
bus on time
raining
bus is late
A) 0.74 B) 0.18
C) 0.56 D) 0.68
[Link] Helping schools close the maths attainment gap through targeted one to one teaching and flexible resources
7
GCSE Probability | Diagnostic Questions | Combined Events
Diagnostic Questions: Combined Events
A box contains 2 blue balls, 6 green balls and 4 red balls. A ball is drawn at
random, the colour recorded and replaced, with the process repeated two more
times. What is the probability of getting a blue ball on the first draw, a green ball
on the second and a red ball on the third?
A) B) 1
C) D)
A bag contains red disks and blue disks. A disk is drawn, its colour recorded and
replaced. A second disk is then drawn, its colour recorded and replaced. The
probability of drawing a red disk, then a blue disk is . Given that there are
more blue disks than red disks, what is the probability of drawing a blue disk on
the next draw?
A) B)
C) D)
When a particular biassed die is rolled twice, the probability of getting a six both
times is 0.0144. What is the probability of getting a six on a single roll?
A) 0.012 B) 0.0072
C) 0.12 D) 0.0144
[Link] Helping schools close the maths attainment gap through targeted one to one teaching and flexible resources
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GCSE Probability | Diagnostic Questions | Combined Events
Diagnostic Questions: Combined Events
When a biassed coin is flipped, the probability of getting three tails in a row
is . What is the probability of getting heads on the next flip of the coin?
A) B)
C) D)
An unbiassed coin is flipped 3 times. What is the probability that I get more
heads than tails?
A) 0.125 B) 0.375
C) 0.875 D) 0.5
The probability that I have toast for breakfast on any given day is . What is the
probability that I have toast for breakfast only once over the weekend?
A) B)
C) D)
[Link] Helping schools close the maths attainment gap through targeted one to one teaching and flexible resources
9
GCSE Probability | Diagnostic Questions | Combined Events
Diagnostic Questions: Combined Events
The probability that my alarm clock wakes me is 0.8. What is the probability that
my alarm clock fails to wake me at least once [Link] weekend?
A) 0.32 B) 0.16
C) 0.36 D) 0.04
[Link] Helping schools close the maths attainment gap through targeted one to one teaching and flexible resources
10
GCSE Probability | Diagnostic Questions | Combined Events
Diagnostic Questions: Combined Events Answers
An unbiassed coin and a fair 6-sided dice are thrown simultaneously, with the
result recorded. What is the probability of the result being heads on the coin and
a six on the dice?
A) Student added probabilities instead of multiplying
B) Correct answer
C) Student added numerators and denominators of fractions then simplified
D) Student confused methods for adding and multiplying fractions
Events and are independent. Given that
determine :
A) 0.13 Correct answer
B) 0.85 Student added probabilities instead of multiplying
C) 0.013 Student adjusted result of multiplication incorrectly
D) 0.15 Student subtracted both probabilities from one
A fair coin is flipped two times. What is the probability of getting tails twice?
A) Student assumed the probability of the outcome is the same for single and ....
..multiple events
B) 1 Student added probabilities instead of multiplying
C) Student mistakenly attempted to use the OR rule for mutually exclusive events
D) Correct answer
[Link] Helping schools close the maths attainment gap through targeted one to one teaching and flexible resources
11
GCSE Probability | Diagnostic Questions | Combined Events
Diagnostic Questions: Combined Events Answers
Two words are spelled using tiles. A tile is taken at random from word T and a
tile is taken at random from word U. What is the probability that the letter
displayed on both tiles is a vowel?
Word T : BISECTOR
Word U : S H A P E
A) Student added probabilities instead of multiplying
B) Correct answer
C) Student formed a fraction from the total number of vowels and total
...... number of letters
D) Student applied the OR rule for mutually exclusive events
A coin, coin and a 50p coin are flipped simultaneously and the result
recorded. Giving your answer as a decimal, find the probability that all three
coins land heads up:
A) 0.5 Student assumed the probability of the outcome is the same for single
...... and multiple events
B) 0.15 Student added the probabilities, then divided by 10 to obtain a value
.... ..between 0 and 1
C) 0.125 Correct answer
D) 0.75 Student performed one multiplication and one addition
[Link] Helping schools close the maths attainment gap through targeted one to one teaching and flexible resources
12
GCSE Probability | Diagnostic Questions | Combined Events
Diagnostic Questions: Combined Events Answers
You spin these two fair spinners and add the numbers together.
What is the probability of getting a total score of 5?
A) Correct answer
B) 0 Student thought a score of five was impossible due to not seeing a 5
C) Student found one way of making 5, but used (3+4)=7 spaces from the
..... .spinners as the denominator
D) Student found 3 ways of making 5, and used (3+4)=7 spaces from the
.... ..spinners as the denominator
A card is drawn at random from a standard deck of playing cards.
What is the probability that the card is a “spade” or a “5”?
A) Student only looked at the probability of drawing a spade
B) Student counted the 5 of spades twice
C) Student calculated the probability of drawing a spade and a 5
D) Correct answer
[Link] Helping schools close the maths attainment gap through targeted one to one teaching and flexible resources
13
GCSE Probability | Diagnostic Questions | Combined Events
Diagnostic Questions: Combined Events Answers
The probability that I am on time for work on Saturday is 0.95
The probability that I am on time for work on Sunday is 0.85
What is the probability that I am late on Saturday but on time on Sunday?
A) 0.8075 Student calculated the probability of being on time both days
B) 0.1425 Student calculated the probability of being on time on Saturday ..
.. ..but late on Sunday
C) 0.0425 Correct answer
D) 0.0075 Student calculated the probability of being late both days
Two fair spinners are spun and their scores multiplied. Use the sample space to
determine the probability that the product is greater than ten:
1st spinner
2nd
spinner
A) Correct answer
B) Student included the occurrence of 10 in desired outcomes
C) Student included row / column headings when working out the ......
denominator
D) Student only used the bottom two rows of the sample space
[Link] Helping schools close the maths attainment gap through targeted one to one teaching and flexible resources
14
GCSE Probability | Diagnostic Questions | Combined Events
Diagnostic Questions: Combined Events Answers
A tetrahedral die is rolled twice, and the scores added together. Use the sample
space diagram to determine the probability that the score is a multiple of three:
A) Student included row / column headings when working out the ......
probability
B) Student included row / column headings when working out the .....
.denominator
C) Student calculated the probability that the score is a three
D) Correct answer
A numeric passcode for a mobile phone uses the digits 0-9. What is the
probability of “guessing” a five-digit passcode on the first attempt?
A) 0.5 Student considered five digits out of ten choices
B) 0.00001 Correct answer
C) 0.00005 Student combined multiplication and exponentiation
D) 0.02 Student used the product of 0.1 (from ten digits) and 0.2 (from five
......spaces in the passcode)
[Link] Helping schools close the maths attainment gap through targeted one to one teaching and flexible resources
15
GCSE Probability | Diagnostic Questions | Combined Events
Diagnostic Questions: Combined Events Answers
A fair coin is flipped at the same time as an unbiassed die is rolled. What is the
probability of obtaining a number less than 3 on the die or a head on the coin?
A) Student considered the numbers less than or equal to 3 on the die
B) Student found the sum of the given event probabilities without
......combining
C) Correct answer
D) Student drew a tree diagram but added the wrong branches
The probability of it raining is 0.3. If it rains the probability of the bus being late is
0.4. If it is not raining the probability of the bus being late is 0.2. What is the
probability that the bus is on time?
bus on time
not
raining
bus is late
bus on time
raining
bus is late
A) 0.74 Correct answer
B) 0.18 Student gave the probability my bus being on time when it rains only
C) 0.56 Student gave the probability my bus being on time when it isn’t ......
raining only
D) 0.68 Student added the wrong branches of the tree diagram
[Link] Helping schools close the maths attainment gap through targeted one to one teaching and flexible resources
16
GCSE Probability | Diagnostic Questions | Combined Events
Diagnostic Questions: Combined Events Answers
A box contains 2 blue balls, 6 green balls and 4 red balls. A ball is drawn at
random, the colour recorded and replaced, with the process repeated two more
times. What is the probability of getting a blue ball on the first draw, a green ball
on the second and a red ball on the third?
A) Student formed the probabilities incorrectly
B) 1 Student added probabilities instead of multiplying
C) Student simplified fraction incorrectly
D) Correct answer
A bag contains red disks and blue disks. A disk is drawn, its colour recorded and
replaced. A second disk is then drawn, its colour recorded and replaced. The
probability of drawing a red disk, then a blue disk is . Given that there are
more blue disks than red disks, what is the probability of drawing a blue disk on
the next draw?
A) Student gave probability of drawing a red disk
B) Correct answer
C) Student found the complement of the given probability
D) Student made errors setting up and solving an equation
When a particular biassed die is rolled twice, the probability of getting a six both
times is 0.0144. What is the probability of getting a six on a single roll?
A) 0.012 Student did not use correct method to square root given probability
B) 0.0072 Student halved instead of square rooting
C) 0.12 Correct answer
D) 0.0144 Student misunderstood the context, assuming the probability won’t
......change
[Link] Helping schools close the maths attainment gap through targeted one to one teaching and flexible resources
17
GCSE Probability | Diagnostic Questions | Combined Events
Diagnostic Questions: Combined Events Answers
When a biassed coin is flipped, the probability of getting three tails in a row
is . What is the probability of getting heads on the next flip of the coin?
A) Correct answer
B) Student divided by three instead of cube rooting (then subtracted from one)
C) Student gave the probability of getting tails on the next coin flip
D) Student subtracted from one without first cube rooting
An unbiassed coin is flipped 3 times. What is the probability that I get more
heads than tails?
A) 0.125 Student cubed the probability of getting heads
B) 0.375 Student counted only the outcomes that had heads on the first flip
C) 0.875 Student counted all outcomes where a heads occurred
D) 0.5 Correct answer
The probability that I have toast for breakfast on any given day is . What is the
probability that I have toast for breakfast only once over the weekend?
A) Student included the outcome of having toast on both days
B) Correct answer
C) Student squared the probability of having toast on any given day
D) Student did not count both ways this outcome could happen
[Link] Helping schools close the maths attainment gap through targeted one to one teaching and flexible resources
18
GCSE Probability | Diagnostic Questions | Combined Events
Diagnostic Questions: Combined Events Answers
The probability that my alarm clock wakes me is 0.8. What is the probability that
my alarm clock fails to wake me at least once over the weekend?
A) 0.32 Student calculated the probability that my alarm clock fails to wake me
only once
B) 0.16 Student forgot to add together all instances meeting the criteria
C) 0.36 Correct answer
D) 0.04 Student calculated the probability that my alarm clock fails to wake me
on both days
[Link] Helping schools close the maths attainment gap through targeted one to one teaching and flexible resources
19
Where to go next?
For more diagnostic questions, and GCSE maths revision resources and
worksheets to support students in fixing any misconceptions take a look
at the free Third Space Learning GCSE maths revision pages.
Scan the QR code to discover our library of FREE GCSE maths revision
resources
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students who need
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