Chapter-2(Probability)
(Exercise or Assignment Questions)
2. Use the rule method to describe the sample space S consisting of all points in the
first quadrant inside a circle of radius 3 with center at the origin.
3. Which of the following events are equal?
(a) A = {1, 3};
(b) B = {x|x is a number on a die};
(c) C = {x|x2 − 4x + 3 = 0};
(d)D = {x|x is the nuAmber of heads when six coins are tossed}.
4. An experiment involves tossing a pair of dice, one green and one red, and record-
ing the numbers that come up. If x equals the outcome on the green die and y
the outcome on the red die, describe the sample space S
(a) by listing the elements (x, y);
(b) by using the rule method.
5. An experiment consists of tossing a die and then flipping a coin once if the num-
ber on the die is even. If the number on the die is odd, the coin is flipped twice.
Find the sample space using tree diagram.
7. Four students are selected at random from a chemistry class and classified as
male or female. List the elements of the sample space S1 , using the letter M for
male and F for female. Define a second sample space S2 where the elements
represent the number of females selected.
8. For the sample space of Exercise 3,
(a) list the elements corresponding to the event A that the sum is greater than 8;
(b) list the elements corresponding to the event B that a 2 occurs on either die;
(c) list the elements corresponding to the event C that a number greater than 4
comes up on the green die;
(d) list the elements corresponding to the event A ∩ C;
(e) list the elements corresponding to the event A ∩ B;
(f) list the elements corresponding to the event B ∩ C.
9. For the sample space of Exercise 5,
(a) list the elements corresponding to the event A that a number less than 3 occurs
on the die
(b) list the elements corresponding to the event B that two tails occur;
(d) list the elements corresponding to the event A′ ;
(e) list the elements corresponding to the event A′ ∩ B;
(f) list the elements corresponding to the event A ∪ B.
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11. Home work
50. Assuming that all elements of S in Exercise 8 are equally likely to occur, find
(a) the probability of event A;
(b) the probability of event C;
(c) the probability of event A ∩ C.
53. The probability that an American industry will locate in Shanghai, China, is 0.7,
the probability that it will locate in Beijing, China, is 0.4, and the probability that
it will locate in either Shanghai or Beijing or both is 0.8. What is the probability
that the industry will locate
(a) in both cities?
(b) in neither city?
54. From past experience, a stockbroker believes that under present economic condi-
tions a customer will invest in tax-free bonds with a probability of 0.6, will invest
in mutual funds with a probability of 0.3, and will invest in both tax-free bonds
and mutual funds with a probability of 0.15. At this time, find the probability
that a customer will invest
(a) in either tax-free bonds or mutual funds;
(b) in neither tax-free bonds nor mutual funds.
58. A pair of fair dice is tossed. Find the probability of getting
(a) a total of 8;
(b) at most a total of 5.
59. In a poker hand consisting of 5 cards, find the probability of holding
(a) 3 aces;
(b) 4 hearts and 1 club.
60. If 3 books are picked at random from a shelf containing 5 novels, 3 books of
poems, and a dictionary, what is the probability that
(a) the dictionary is selected?
(b) 2 novels and 1 book of poems are selected?
65. Home work
68. Interest centers around the nature of an oven purchased at a particular depart-
ment store. It can be either a gas or an electric oven. Consider the decisions made
by six distinct customers.
(a) Suppose that the probability is 0.40 that at most two of these individuals pur-
chase an electric oven. What is the probability that at least three purchase the
electric oven?
(b) Suppose it is known that the probability that all six purchase the electric oven
is 0.007 while 0.104 is the probability that all six purchase the gas oven. What is
the probability that at least one of each type is purchased?
72. Prove that
P (A′ ∩ B ′ ) = 1 + P (A ∩ B) − P (A) − P (B).
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74. A class in advanced physics is composed of 10 juniors, 30 seniors, and 10 grad-
uate students. The final grades show that 3 of the juniors, 10 of the seniors, and
5 of the graduate students received an A for the course. If a student is chosen at
random from this class and is found to have earned an A, what is the probability
that he or she is a senior?
75. A random sample of 200 adults are classified below by sex and their level of
education attained.
Education Male Female
Elementary 38 45
Secondary 28 50
college 22 17
If a person is picked at random from this group, find the probability that
(a) the person is a male, given that the person has a secondary education;
(b) the person does not have a college degree, given that the person is a female.
80. The probability that an automobile being filled with gasoline also needs an oil
change is 0.25; the probability that it needs a new oil filter is 0.40; and the proba-
bility that both the oil and the filter need changing is 0.14.
(a) If the oil has to be changed, what is the probability that a new oil filter is
needed?
(b) If a new oil filter is needed, what is the probability that the oil has to be
changed?
81. The probability that a married man watches a certain television show is 0.4, and
the probability that a married woman watches the show is 0.5. The probability
that a man watches the show, given that his wife does, is 0.7. Find the probability
that
(a) a married couple watches the show;
(b) a wife watches the show, given that her husband does;
(c) at least one member of a married couple will watch the show.
82. For married couples living in a certain suburb, the probability that the husband
will vote on a bond referendum is 0.21, the probability that the wife will vote on
the referendum is 0.28, and the probability that both the husband and the wife
will vote is 0.15. What is the probability that
(a) at least one member of a married couple will vote?
(b) a wife will vote, given that her husband will vote?
(c) a husband will vote, given that his wife will not vote?
89. A town has two fire engines operating independently. The probability that a spe-
cific engine is available when needed is 0.96.
(a) What is the probability that neither is available when needed?
(b) What is the probability that a fire engine is available when needed?
91. Find the probability of randomly selecting 4 good quarts of milk in succession
from a cooler containing 20 quarts of which 5 have spoiled, by using
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(a) the first formula of Theorem 2.12 on page 68;
(b) the formulas of Theorem 2.6 and Rule 2.3 on pages 50 and 54, respectively.
95. In a certain region of the country it is known from past experience that the prob-
ability of selecting an adult over 40 years of age with cancer is 0.05. If the proba-
bility of a doctor correctly diagnosing a person with cancer as having the disease
is 0.78 and the probability of incorrectly diagnosing a person without cancer as
having the disease is 0.06, what is the probability that an adult over 40 years of
age is diagnosed as having cancer?
97. Referring to Exercise 95, what is the probability that a person diagnosed as hav-
ing cancer actually has the disease?
101. A paint-store chain produces and sells latex and semigloss paint. Based on long-
range sales, the probability that a customer will purchase latex paint is 0.75.
Of those that purchase latex paint, 60% also purchase rollers. But only 30% of
semigloss paint buyers purchase rollers. A randomly selected buyer purchases a
roller and a can of paint. What is the probability that the paint is latex?
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