PROBABILITY

EXERCISE – 1: Basic Subjective Questions

13. A die is thrown 6 times. If “getting an odd number”
Section–A (1 Mark Questions) is a “success”, what is the probability of (i) 5
successes? (ii) atmost 5 successes.
1. If P  A  B   70% and P  B   85%, the find
P(A/B). Section–C (3 Marks Questions)
2. Find the value of k from the probability distribution
14. Let X be a random variable which assumes values
of the discrete variable X given below:
x1 , x2 , x3 , x4 such that
X 2 3 4 5
PX  5 7 9 11 2 P  X  x1   3 P  X  x2   P ( X  x3 )
k k k k  5 P  X  x4  .
3. If A and B are two independent events such that Find the probability distribution of X.
1 1
P  A   and P  B   then find P  A ' B '  . 15. In answering a question on a multiple-choice test, a
7 6
3
4. A speaks truth in 70% cases and B speaks truth in student either knows the answer or guesses. Let
4
85% cases. The probability that they speak the
1
same fact is ________. be the probability that he knows the answer and
5. The possibility of having 53 Thursdays in a non – 4
be the probability that he guesses. Assuming that a
leap year is ________.
student who guesses at the answer will be correct
Section–B (2 Marks Questions) 1
with probability . What is the probability that the
4
6. Five cards are drawn successively with
student knows the answer given that he answered it
replacement from a well shuffled deck of 52 cards.
correctly?
What is the probability that only 3 cards are
16. An insurance company insured 2000 scooter
spades?
drivers, 4000 car drivers and 6000 truck drivers.
7. In a box containing 100 bulbs, 10 are defective.
The probability of an accident is 0.01, 0.03 and
What is the probability that out of a sample of 5
0.15 respectively. One of the insured persons meets
bulbs, none is defective?
with an accident. What is the probability that he is
8. Let A and B be two given independent events such
a scooter driver?
that: P(A) = p, P(B) = q & P (exactly one of A, B)
17. There are three coins. One is a two headed coin
2
 , then find value of 3p + 3q – 6pq. (having head on both faces), another is a biased
3
coin that comes up heads 75 % of the time and
9. Mother, father, and son line up at random for a third is an unbiased coin. One of the three coins is
family picture E: Son on one end, F: Father in chosen at random and tossed. It shows heads, what
middle. Find (E | F). is the probability that it was the two headed coin.
10. Prove that if E and F are independent events, then 18. Suppose 5% of men and 0.25% of women have
the events E and F’ are also independent. grey hair. A grey-haired person is selected at
11. Given P  A   0.4, P  B   0.7 and P  B / A   0.6. random. What is the probability of this person
Find P  A  B  . being male? Assume that there are equal number of
males and females.
12. If each element of a second order determinant is
19. An urn contains 3 white and 6 red balls. Four balls
either zero or one, what is the probability that the
value of the determinant is positive? (Assume that are drawn one by one with replacement from the
the individual entries of the determinant are chosen urn. Find the probability distribution of the number
independently, each value being assumed with
of red balls drawn. Also find mean and variance of
1
probability ). the distribution.
2
20. There are two bags, one of which contains 3 black Section–D (5 Marks Questions)
and 4 white balls while the other contains 4 black 25. There are 5 cards numbered 1 to 5, one number on
and 3 white balls. A die is thrown. If it shows up 1 one card. Two cards are drawn at random without
or 3, a ball is taken from the 1st bag; but if it shows replacement. Let X denote the sum of the numbers
on two cards drawn. Find the mean and variance of
up any other number, a ball is chosen from the
X.
second bag. Find the probability of choosing a
black ball. 26. From a lot of 30 bulbs which include 6 defectives,
a sample of 4 bulbs is drawn at random with
21. Probability of solving specific problem
replacement. Find the probability distribution of the
1 1
independently by A and B are and number of defective bulbs.
2 3 27. Bag I contain 3 red and 4 black balls and bag II
respectively. If both try to solve the problem
contain 4 red and 5 black balls. One ball is
independently, find the probability that
(i) The problem is solved transferred from Bag I to Bag II and then a ball is
(ii) Exactly one of them solves the problem. drawn from Bag II. The ball so drawn is found to
22. If A and B are two independent events, then prove
be red in colour. Find the probability that the
that the probability of occurrence of at least one of
A and B is given by 1 – P(A’) P(B’). transferred ball is black.
23. Given three identical boxes I, II and III each 28. A and B throw a die alternatively till one of them
containing two coins. In box-I both coins are gold gets a ‘6’ and win the game. Find their respective
probabilities of winning if A starts first.
coins, in box-II, both are silver coins, and, in the
29. Two cards are drawn simultaneously (or
box-III, there is one gold and one silver coin. A successively without replacement) from a well
person chooses a box at random and takes out a shuffled deck of 52 cards. Find the mean, variance
and standard deviation of the number of kings.
coin. If the coin is of gold, what is the probability
30. If A and B are two independent events such that
that the other coin in the box is also of gold.
2 1
24. In a factory which manufactures bolts, machines A, 
P A B   15
 
and P A  B  , Then find
6
B and C manufacture respectively 25%, 35% and P(A) and P(B).
40% of the bolts. Of their output 5, 4 and 2 percent
are respectively defective bolts. A bolt is drawn at
random from the product and is found to be
defective. What is the probability that it is
manufactured by the machine B?
EXERCISE – 2: Basic Objective Questions
Section–A (Single Choice Questions)
1. lf one ball is drawn at random from each of three 6. Five persons entered the life cabin on the ground
boxes containing 3 white and 1 black, 2 white and floor of an 8-floor house. Suppose that each of them
black, 1 white and 3 black balls, then the probability independently and with equal probability can leave
that 2 white and 1 black ball will be drawn is the cabin at any floors beginning with the first, then
probability of all 5 persons leaving different floor is.
13 1
(a) (b)
32 4
7
P5 75
(a) (b) 7
1 3 75 P5
(c) (d)
32 16 5
P5
6
(c) (d)
2. A and B are two events such that P  A   0.25 and
7
P5 55
P  B   0.50 . The probability of both happening 7. A bag contains 5 brown and 4 white socks. A man
together is 0.14. The probability of both A and B not pulls out two socks. The probability that these are of
happening is the same colour is
(a) 0.39 (b) 0.25 5 18
(a) (b)
(c) 0.11 (d) None of these 108 108

3. The probabilities of a student getting I, II and III 30 48

(c) (d)
1 3 1 108 108
division in an examination are , and
10 5 4 8. If P  A  B   0.8 and P  A  B   0.3, then
respectively. The probability that the students fail in
the examination is    
P A P B 
197 27 (a) 0.3 (b) 0.5
(a) (b)
200 100 (c) 0.7 (d) 0.9
83
(c) (d) None of these 9. A bag X contains 2 white and 3 black balls, and
100 another bag Y contains 4 white and 2 black balls.
4. A speaks truth in 75% cases and B speaks truth in One bag is selected at random, and a ball is drawn
80% cases. Probability that they contradict each from it. Then, the probability chosen to be white is
other in a statement, is 2 7
(a) (b)
7 13 15 15
(a) (b)
20 20 8 14
(c) (d)
3 2 15 15
(c) (d)
5 5 4
10. If A and B are two events such that P  A   , and
5
5. A coin is tossed three times. If events A and 6
defined as A = Two heads come, B = Last should be 7
P  A  B  , then P  B / A  
head. Then, A and B are 10
(a) independent 1 1
(a) (b)
(b) dependent 10 8

(c) both 7 17
(c) (d)
8 20
(d) mutually exclusive
 7 9 4 16. Three persons A, B and C fire a target in turn
11. Let P  A   , P B  and P  A  B   .
13 13 13 starting with A. their probabilities of hitting the
 A target are 0.4, 0.3 and 0.2 respectively. The
Then, P    probability of two hits is
B
(a) 0.0.24 (b) 0.452
5 4
(a) (b) (c) 0.336 (d) 0.188
9 9
17. In a bolt factory, machines A, B and C manufacture
4 6 respectively 25%, 35% and 40% of the total bolts.
(c) (d)
13 13 Of their output 5, 4 and 2 percent are respectively
2 3 1 defective bolts. A bolt is drawn at random from the
12. If P  A   , P  B  and P  A  B   , then product. Then the probability that the bolt drawn is
5 10 5
defective is
 A  B
P   P   is equal to (a) 0.0345 (b) 0.345
 B  A
(c) 3.45 (d) 0.0034
5 5 18. If a random variable X has the following probability
(a) (b)
6 7 distribution, then find the value of a.
25 X: 0 1 2 3 4
(c) (d) 1
42
P(X): a 3a 5a 7a 9a
13. If A
and B are two events such that
1 1  A 1 X: 5 6 7 8
P  A  , P  B   , P   
2 3 B 4

, then P A  B  P(X): 11a 13a 15a 17a
equals
1 3 7 5
(a) (b) (a) (b)
12 4 81 80
1 3 2 1
(c) (d) (c) (d)
4 16 81 81
14. Let A
and B are two events such that 19. If X is a random-variable with probability
3 5 3 distribution as given below:
P  A  , P  B   and P  A  B   , then
8 8 4 X  xi : 0 1 2 3
 A  A P  X  xi  : K 3k 3k k
P   P   is equal to.
B B
The value of k and its variance are
2 3
(a) (b) 1 22 1 23
5 8 (a) , (b) ,
8 27 8 27
3 6
(c) (d) 1 24 1 3
20 25 (c) , (d) ,
8 27 8 4
3  A 1 4
15. If P  B   , P    and P  A  B   , then 20. For the following probability distribution:
5 B 2 5
X: 1 2 3 4
 
P A  B  P  A  B  P(X) 1 1 3 2
10 5 10 5
1 4
(a) (b)
5 5 The value of E x2 is  
1 (a) 3 (b) 5
(c) (d) 1
2 (c) 7 (d) 10
21. Let X be a discrete random variable. Then the 25. Assertion: For a binomial distribution B  n, p  ,
variance of X is Mean > Variance.
Reason: Probability is less than or equal to.
(a) E x  2
(b) E x    E  x 
2 2

(a) Assertion is correct, reason is correct; reason is a

2 correct explanation for assertion.
 
(c) E x 2   E  x  
2
(d)  
E x2   E  x  
(b) Assertion is correct, reason is correct; reason is
22. A bag A contains 2 white, and 3 red balls and bag B not a correct explanation for assertion
contains 4 white and 5 red balls. One ball is drawn (c) Assertion is correct, reason is incorrect
at random from a randomly chosen bag and is found
(d) Assertion is incorrect, reason is correct.
to be red. The probability that it was drawn from B
is 26. Consider the two events E and F.
nE  F 
(a)
5
(b)
5 Assertion: P  E / F  
14 16 nF 
PE  F 
(c)
5
(d)
25 Reason: P  E / F   .
18 52 PF 
(a) Assertion is correct, reason is correct; reason is a
Section–B (Assertion & Reason Type Questions) correct explanation for assertion.
23. Let A and B be two events associated with an (b) Assertion is correct, reason is correct; reason is
experiment such that P  A  B   P  A  P  B  not a correct explanation for assertion
Assertion: P  A | B   P  A  and P  B | A   P  B  (c) Assertion is correct, reason is incorrect

Reason: P  A  B   P  A   P  B  (d) Assertion is incorrect, reason is correct.

(a) Assertion is correct, reason is correct; reason is a 27. Assertion: Let A and B be two independent events.
correct explanation for assertion. Then P  A  B   P  A   P  B  .
Reason: Three events A, B and C are said to be
(b) Assertion is correct, reason is correct; reason is
pairwise independent, if
not a correct explanation for assertion
P  A  B  C   P  A P  B  P C  .
(c) Assertion is correct, reason is incorrect
(a) Assertion is correct, reason is correct; reason is a
(d) Assertion is incorrect, reason is correct. correct explanation for assertion.
24. Assertion: Consider the experiment of drawing a (b) Assertion is correct, reason is correct; reason is
card from a deck of 52 playing cards, in which the not a correct explanation for assertion
elementary events are assumed to be equally likely. (c) Assertion is correct, reason is incorrect
If E and F denote the events the card drawn is a (d) Assertion is incorrect, reason is correct.
spade and the card drawn is an ace respectively.
1 1
then P  E | F   and P  F | E   .
Section -C (Case Study Questions)
4 13
Case Study–1
Reason: E and F are two events such that the
probability of occurrence of one of them is not 28. Three friends A, B and C are playing a dice game.
affected by occurrence of the other. Such events are The number rolled up by them in their first three
called independent events. chances were noted and given by
(a) Assertion is correct, reason is correct; reason is a A  1, 5 , B  2, 4, 5 and C  1, 2, 5 as A
correct explanation for assertion. reaches the cell ‘SLIP YOUR NEXT TURN’ in
(b) Assertion is correct, reason is correct; reason is second throw.
not a correct explanation for assertion
(c) Assertion is correct, reason is incorrect
(d) Assertion is incorrect, reason is correct.
Based on the above information, answer the
following questions:
(i) P A | B  (iii) When the doctor arrives late, what is the probability
that he comes by bike?
1 1
(a) (b) 5 4
6 3 (a) (b)
21 7
1 2
(c) (d)  1
2 3 (c) (d)
6 6
(ii) P B | C  
(iv) When the doctor arrives late, what is the probability
2 1 that he comes by other means of transport?
(a) (b)
3 12 6 5
(a) (b)
1 7 14
(c) (d) 0
9 4 2
(c) (d)
(iii) PA B |C  21 7
1 1 30. Suman was doing a project on a school survey, on
(a) (b) the average number of hours spent on study by
6 2
students selected at random. At the end of survey,
1 1 Suman prepared the following report related to the
(c) (d)
12 3 data. Let X denotes the average number of hours
(iv) PA|C  spent on study by students. The probability that X
can take the values x , has the following form,
1
(a) (b) 1 where k is some unknown constant.
4
 0.2, if x  0
2 
(c) (d) None of these P  X  x    kx, if x  1 or 2
3
 k  6  x  , if x  3 or4
29. A doctor is to visit a patient. From the past 
experience, it is known that the probabilities that he
will come by cab, metro, bike or by other means of
transport are respectively 0.3, 0.2, 0.1 and 0.4. The
probabilities that he will be late are 0.25, 0.3, 0.35
and 0.1 if he comes by cab, metro, bike and other
means of transport respectively.

Based on the above information, answer the

following questions.
(i) Find the value of k.
(a) 0.1 (b) 0.2
(c) 0.3 (d) 0.05
(ii) What is the probability that the average study time
Based on the above information, answer the of students is not more than 1 hour?
following questions. (a) 0.4 (b) 0.3
(i) When the doctor arrives late, what is the probability (c) 0.5 (d) 0.1
that he comes by metro? (iii) What is the probability that the average study time
5 2 of students is at least 3 hours?
(a) (b)
14 7 (a) 0.5 (b) 0.9
5 1 (c) 0.8 (d) 0.1
(c) (d)
21 6 (iv) What is the probability that the average study time
(ii) When the doctor arrives late, what is the probability of students is exactly 2 hours?
that he comes by cab? (a) 0.4 (b) 0.5
4 1 (c) 0.7 (d) 0.2
(a) (b)
21 7
5 2
(c) (d)
14 21
EXERCISE – 3: Previous Year Questions
1. A bag A contains 4 black and 6 red balls and bag B 9. The probabilities of two students A and B coming to
contains 7 black and 3 red balls. A die is thrown. If 3 5
the school in time are and respectively.
1 or 2 apperars on it, then bag A is chosen, or else 7 7
bag B. If two balls are drwan at random (without Assuming that the events, ‘A coming in time’ and
replacement) from the selected bag, find the ‘B coming in time’ are independent, find the
probability of one of them being red and another probability of only one of them coming to the school
black. (AI 2014) in time. Write at least one advantage of coming to
2. Assume that each born child is equally likely to be a school in time. (AI 2013)
boy or a girl. If a family has two children, what is the 10. If A and B are two indepent events such that
conditional probability that both are girls ? Given 2 1
that (i) The youngest is a girl. 
P A B   15
 
and P A  B  , then find
6
(ii) Atleast one is a girl. (Delhi 2014)
P  A  and P  B  . (Delhi 2015)
3. Consider the experiment of tossing a coin. If the
coin shows head, toss it again, but if it shows tail 11. In a hockey match, both teams A and B scored same
then throw a die. Find the conditional probability of number of goals up to the end of the game, so as to
the event that ‘the die shows a number greater than decide the winner, the referee asked both the
4’ given that ‘there is at least one tail’. captains to throw a die alternately and decided that
the team, whose captain gets a six first, will be
(Delhi 2014 C)
declared the winner. If the captain of team A was
4. A bag contains 3 red and 7 balck balls. Two balls asked to start, find their respective probabilities of
are selected at reandom one-by-one without winning the match and state whether the decision of
repleacement. If the second selected ball happens to the referee was fair or not. (AI 2013)
be red, what is the probability that the first selected
ball is also red. (Delhi 2014 C) 12. Three persons A, B and C apply for a job of
Manager in a private company. Chances of their
5. A and B throw a pair of dice alternately.
selection (A, B and C) are in the ratio 1 : 2 : 4. The
A wins the game if he gets a total of 7 and B wins probabilities that A, B and C can introduce changes
the game if he gets a total of 10. If A starts the to improve profits of the company are 0.8, 0.5 and
game, then find the probability that B wins. 0.3 respectively. If the change does not take place,
(Delhi 2016) find the probability that it is due to the appointment
6. Probability of solving specfic problem independenty of C. (AI 2016)
1 1 13. A bag contains 4 balls. Two balls are drawn at
by A and B are and respectively. If both try to
2 3 random (without replacement) and are found to be
solve the problem independently, find probability white. What is the probability that all balls in the
that (i) The problem is solved bag are white? (AI 2016)
(ii) Exactly one of them solved the problem. 14. Three machines E1 , E2 and E3 in a certain factory
(Delhi 2014 C, 2011)
producing electric bulbs, produce 50%, 25% and
7. P speaks truth in 70% of the cases and Q in 80% of 25% respectively, of the total daily output of electric
the cases. In what percent of cases are they likely to bulbs. It is known that 4% of the bulbs produced by
agree in stating the same fact? each of machines E1 and E 2 are defective and that
Do you think, when they agree, means both are
5% of those produced by machine E3 are defective.
speaking truth? (Delhi 2013)
8. A speaks truth in 75% of the cases, while B in 90% If one bulb is picked up at random from a day’s
of the cases. In what per cent of cases are they likely production, calculate the probability that it is
to contradict each other in stating the same fact. defective. (Foreign 2015)
Do you think that B speaks truth? (Delhi 2013)
15. Bag A contains 3 red and 5 black balls, while bag B 21. An insurance company insured 2000 scooter drivers,
contains 4 red and 4 black balls. Two balls are 4000 car drivers 6000 truck drivers. The probability
transferred at random from bag A to bag B and then of an accident for them are 0.01, 0.03 and 0.15
a ball is drawn from bag B at random. If the ball respectively. One of the insured persons meets with
drawn from bag B is found to be red find the an accident. What is the probability that he is a
probability that two red balls were transferred from scooter driver or a car driver? (Foreign 2014)
A and B. (Foreign 2016) 22. A man is known to speak the truth 3 out of 56 times.
16. In a factory which manufactures bolts, machines A, He throws a die and reports that it is ‘1’. Find the
B and C manufacture respectively 30%, 50% and probability that it is actually 1.
20% of the bolts. Of their outputs 3, 4 and 1 percent (Delhi 2010 C)
respectively are defective bolts. A bolt is drawn at 23. Assume that the chances of a patient having a heart
random from the product and is found to be attack is 40%. Assuming that a meditation and yoga
defective. Find the probability that it is not course reduces the risk of heart attack by 30% and
manufactured by machine B. (AI 2015) prescription of certain drug reduces its chance by
25%. At a time, a patient can choose any one of the
17. A bag contains 4 red and 4 black balls; another bag two options with equal probabilities. It is given that
contains 2 red and 6 black balls. One of the two bags after going through one of the two options, the
is selected at random, and two balls are drawn at patient selected at random suffers a heart attack.
random without replacement from the bag and are Find the probability that the patient followed a
course of meditation and yoga. Interpret the result
found to be both red. Find the probability that the
and state which of the above stated methods is more
balls are drawn from the first bag. (Delhi 2015 C) beneficial for the patient.
18. In answering a question on a multiple-choice test, a (AI 2014 C)
3 24. In a group of400 people, 160 are smokers and non-
student either knows the answer or guesses. Let
5 vegetarian, 100 are smokers and vegetarian and the
2 remaining are non-smokers and vegetarian. The
be the probability that he knows the answer and
5 probabilities of getting a special chest disease are
be the probability that he guesses. Assuming that a 35%, 20% and 10% respectively. A person is chosen
student who guesses the answer will be correct with from the group at random and is found to be
1 suffering from the group at random and is found to
probability , what is the probability that the be suffering from the disease. What is the
3
student knows the answer given that he answered it probability that the selected person is a smoker and
correctly. (AI 2015 C) non-vegetarian? What value is reflected in this
question. (Delhi 2013 C)
19. A card from a pack of 52 playing cards is lost. From
25. Of the students in a college, it is known that 60%
the remaining cards of the pack three cards are reside in hostel and 40% are day scholars (not
drawn at random (without replacement) and are residing in hostel). Previous year results report that
found to be all spades. Find the probability of the 30% of all students who reside in hostel attain ‘A’
lost card being a spade. (Delhi 2014) grade in their annual examination and 20% of all
students who are day scholar attain ‘A’ grade. At the
20. There are three coins. One is a two-headed coin end of the year, one student is chosen at random
(having head on both faces). another is a biased coin from the college and he has an ‘A’ grade, what is the
that comes up heads 75% of the times and third is probability that the student is a hosteler.
also a biased coin that comes up tails 40% of the (Delhi 2012, 2011 C)
times. One of the three coins is chosen at random 26. A girl throws a die. If she gets a 5 or 6, she tosses a
and tossed, and it shows head. What is the coin three times and notes the number of heads. If
probability that it was the two-headed coin? she gets 1, 2, 3 or 4, she tosses a coin two times and
(AI 2014) notes the number of heads obtained. If she obtained
exactly two heads, what is the probability that she
threw 1, 2, 3 or 4 with the die.?
(Delhi 2012)
27. A card from a pack of 52 cards is lost. From the 34. Three cards are drawn successively with
remaining cards of the pack, two cards are drawn at replacement from a well shuffled pack of 52 cards.
random and are found to be hearts. Find the Find the probability distribution of the number of
probability of the missing card to be a heart.
spades. Hence find the mean of the distribution.
(Delhi 2012 C)
(AI 2015)
28. Suppose 5% of men and 0.25% of women have grey
35. Two numbers are selected at random (without
hair. A grey-haired person is selected at random.
replacement) from positive integers 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and
What is the probability of this person being male?
7. Let X denote the larger of the two numbers
Assume that there are equal number of males and
obtained. Find the mean and variance of the
females. (Delhi 2011)
probability distribution of X. (Foreign 2015)
29. Bag I contains 3 red and 4 black balls and bag II
36. From a lot of 15 bulbs which include 5 defectives, a
contains 5 red and 6 black balls. One ball is drawn at
sample of 2 bulbs is drawn at random (without
random from one of the bags and is found to be red.
replacement). Find the probability distribution of the
Find the probability that it was drawn from bag II.
number of defective bulbs. (Delhi 2015 C)
(Delhi 2011)
37. Three cards are drawn at random (without
30. Given three identical boxes I, II and III each replacement) from a well shuffled pack of 52
containing two coins, in box I, both coins are gold playing cards. Find the probability distribution of
coins, in box II, both are solver coins and in box III, number of red cards. Hence find the mean of the
there is one gold and one solver coin. A person distribution. (Foreign 2014)
chooses a box at random and takes out a coin. If the
38. A class has 15 students whose ages are 14, 17, 15,
coin is of gold, what is the probability that the other
14, 21, 17, 19, 20, 16, 18, 20, 17, 16, 19 and 20
coin in the box is also of gold. (AI 2011)
years. One student is selected in such a manner that
31. There are three coins. One is a two-tailed coin each has the same chance of being chosen and the
(having tail on both faces), another is a biased coin age X of the selected student is recorded. What is
that comes up heads 60% of the times and third is an the probability distribution of the random variable
unbiased coin. One of the three coins is chosen at X? Find the mean of X. (AI 2014 C)
random and tossed, and it shows tails. What is the
39. Out of a group of 30 honest people, 20 always speak
probability that it was a two-tailed coin?
the truth. Two persons are selected at random from
(AI 2011 C) the group. Find the probability distribution of the
32. In a game, a man wins Rs.5 for getting a number number of selected persons who speak the truth.
greater than 4 and loses Rs.1 otherwise, when a fair Also find the mean of the distribution. What values
die is thrown. the man decided to throw a die thrice are described in this question. (Delhi 2013 C)
but to quit as and when he gets a number greater 40. Two cards are drawn simultaneously (without
than 4. Find the expected value of the amount he replacement) from a well-shuffled pack of 52 cards.
wins/loses. (AI 2016) Find the mean and variance of the number of red
33. Let X denote the number of colleges where you cards. (AI 2012)
will apply after your results and P  X  x  denotes 41. An urn contains 4 white and 6 red balls. Four balls
your probability of getting admission in x number of are drawn at random (without replacement) from the
colleges. It is given that urn. Find the probability distribution of the number
 kx if x  0 or 1 of white balls. (Delhi 2012 C)
 2kx if x  2
 42. Two cards are drawn successively with replacement
P  X  x  
 k  5  x  if x  3 or 4 from a well- shuffled pack of 52 cards. Find the
 0 if x  4 probability distribution of the number of kings and
where k is a positive constant. Find the value of k. hence find the mean of the distribution. (AI 2012 C)
Also find the probability that you will get admission 43. A box has 20 pens of which 2 are defective.
in (i) exactly one college Calculate the probability that out of 5 pens drawn one
(ii) at most 2 colleges by one with replacement, at most 2 are defective.
(iii) at least 2 colleges.
(Foreign 2016)
(Foreign 2016)
44. An unbiased coin is tossed 4 times. Find the mean 55. A black and a red die are rolled together. Find the
and variance of the number of heads obtained. conditional probability of obtaining the sum 8, given
(Delhi 2015) that the red die resulted in a number less than 4.
45. For 6 trials of an experiment, let X be a binomial
variate which satisfies the relation (2018)

9P (X = 4) = P (X = 2). Find the probability of 56. Out of 8 outstanding students of a school, in which
success. (AI 2015 C) there are 3 boys and 5 girls, a team of 4 students is
46. Four cards are drawn successively with replacement to be selected for a quiz competition. Find the
from a well shuffled deck of 52 cards, what is the
probability that probability that 2 boys and 2 girls are selected.

(i) all the four cards are spades (AI 2019)

(ii) only 2 cards are spades (AI 2015 C) 57. A die marked 1, 2, 3 in red and 4, 5, 6 in green is
47. An experiment succeeds thrice as often as it fails. tossed. Let A be the event “number is even” and B
Find the probability that in the next five trials, there be the event “number is marked red”. Find whether
will be at least 3 successes. (AI 2014) the events A and B are independent or not.
48. How many times must a man toss a fair coin, so that (Delhi 2019)
the probability of having at least one head is more 58. Suppose a girl throws a die. If she gets 1 or 2, she
than 80%. (Delhi 2012) tosses a coin three times and notes the number of
49. Find the probability of throwing at most 2 sixes in 6 tails. If she gets 3, 4, 5 or 6, she tosses a coin once
throws of a single die. (AI 2015) and notes whether a ‘head’ or ‘tail’ is obtained. If
50. Find the probability distribution of number of she obtained exactly one tail what is the probability
doublets in three throws of a pair of dice. that she threw 3, 4, 5 or 6 with the die. (2018)
(AI 2011 C) 59. A manufacturer has three machine operators A, B
and C. The first operator A produces 1% of
51. Five bad oranges are accidently mixed with 20 good
defective items, whereas the other two operators B
ones. If four oranges are drawn one by one
and C produces 5% and 7% defective items
successively with replacement, then find the
respectively. A is on the job for 50% of the time, B
probability distribution of number of bad oranges
on the job 30% of the time and C on the job for 20%
drawn. Hence, find the mean and variance of the
of the time. All the items are put into one stockpile
distribution. (AI 2016)
and then one item is chosen at random from this and
52. From a lot of 15 bulbs which include 5 defectives, a
is found to be defective. What is the probability that
sample of 4 bulbs is drawn one by one with
it was produced by A? (Delhi 2019)
replacement. Find the probability distribution of
60. An insurance company insured 3000 cyclists, 6000
number of defective bulbs. Hence, find the mean of
scooter drivers and 9000 car drivers. The probability
the distribution. (Delhi 2014)
of an accident involving a cyclist, a scooter driver
53. Five cards are drawn one by one, with replacement,
and a car driver are 0.3, 0.05 and 0.02 respectively,
from a well shuffled deck of 52 cards. Find the
one of the insured persons meets with an accident,
probability that
What is the probability that he is a cyclist.
(i) All the five cards are diamonds,
(AI 2019)
(ii) only 3 cards are diamonds, 61. The random variable X has a probability distribution
(iii) none is a diamond. (Foreign 2014) P  X  of the following form,
54. 12 cards numbered 1 to 12 (one number on one card),
 k, if x  0
are placed in a box and mixed up thoroughly. Then a 2k , if x  1
card is drawn at random from the box. If it is known 
P  X  x  
that the number on the drawn card is greater than 5, 3k , if x  2
find the probability that the card bears an odd  0, otherwise
number. (AI 2019)
Determine the value of 'k '. (Delhi 2019)
62. Two numbers are selected at random (without 67. In a shop X , 30 tins of ghee of type A and 40 tins of
replacement) from the first five positive integers. ghee of type B which look alike, are kept for sale.
Let X denote the larger of the two numbers obtained. While in shop Y, similar 50 tins of ghee of type A
Find the mean and variance of X. (2018) and 60 tins of ghee of type B are there. One tin of
63. A card is picked at random from a pack of 52 ghee is purchased from one of the randomly selected
playing cards. Given that picked card is a queen, the shop and is found to be of type B. Find the
probability of this card to be a card of spade is ‘. probability that it is purchased from shop Y.
(AI 2020, Delhi 2020) (AI 2020, Delhi 2020)
64. A die is thrown once. Let A be the event that the 68. If A and B are two events such that
number obtained is greater than 3. Let B be the P  A   0.4. P  B   0.3 and P  A  B   0.6, then
event that the number obtained is less than 5. Then
find P  B ' A  . (AI 2020)
find P  A  B  . (Delhi 2015 C)
69. A number is chosen randomly from numbers 1 to
65. Given two independent events A and B such that
60. The probability that the chosen number is a
P  A   0.3 and P  B   0.6, find P  A ' B '  .
multiple of 2 or 5 is ____. (Delhi 2020)
(AI 2020, Delhi 2020) 70. The probability of finding a green signal on a busy
66. Three rotten apples are mixed with seven fresh crossing X is 30%. What is the probability of
apples. Find the probability distribution of the finding a green signal on X on two consecutive days
number of rotten apples, if three apples are drawn out of three?
one by one with replacement. Find the mean of the (AI 2020)
number of rotten apples. (AI 2020, Delhi 2020)
 Answer Key

EXERCISE-1:
Basic Subjective Questions

14 5 26.
1. 2. k  32 3. 4. 64%
17 7
5 X 0 1 2 3 4
1 45 9
5. 6. 7.   8. 2
7 512  10  P X  256 256 96 16 1
3 63 625 625 625 625 625
9. 1 11. 0.86 12. 13.
16 64
14.
X x1 x2 x3 x4
16 6
27. 28.
P X  15 10 30 6 31 11
61 61 61 61
34 6800
12 1 4 20 29. Mean  ; Var  X  
15. 16. 17. 18.
13 52 9 21
221  2212
8 11
19. Mean  ,; Var  X   0.88 20. S .D.( ( x))  0.37
3 21

2 1 2 28 5 4
21. (i) , (ii) 23. 24. 30. P  A   and P  B  
3 2 3 69 6 5

25. Mean  6; Var  X   3

 EXERCISE-2:
Basic Objective Questions

1. (a) 2. (a) 3. (b) 4. (a) 5. (b)

6. (a) 7. (d) 8. (d) 9. (c) 10. (c)

11. (a) 12. (c) 13. (c) 14. (d) 15. (d)

16. (d) 17. (a) 18. (d) 19. (d) 20. (d)

21. (c) 22. (d) 23. (c) 24. (a) 25. (a)

26. (a) 27. (d)

28. (i) (b) (ii) (a) (iii) (d) (iv) (c)

29. (i) (b) (ii) (c) (iii) (d) (iv) (c)

30. (i) (a) (ii) (b) (iii) (a) (iv) (d)

EXERCISE-3:
Previous Year Questions

22 1 1 2 1 37.
1. 2. (i) , (ii) 3. 4.
45 2 3 9 15 X 0 1 2 3
5 2 1
5. 6.  i  ,  ii  7. 62 % 8. 30
17 3 2 P X  4 13 13 4
26 1 1 34 34 34 34
9. 10. P  A   , P  B  
49 5 6
6 3
11. The Probability of the team A winning the match  and Mean 
11 2
5 263
and that of the team B  38. Mean 
11 15
3 17 18 11
12. 0.7 13. 14. 15. 16. 39.
5 400 133 31
6 9 10 20 7 X 0 1 2
17. 18. 19. 20. 21.
7 11 49 47 52
P X  9 40 38
3 14 28 9 4
22. 23. 24. 25. 26. 87 87 87
13 29 45 13 7
11 20 35 2 10 4
27. 28. 29. 30. 31. and Mean 
50 21 68 3 19 3
19 1 25
32. 33. (i) , (ii) 0.625, (iii) 0.875 40. Mean = 1 and Variance 
9 8 51
3 17 14
34. Mean  35. Mean  ; Var(X) = 41.
4 3 9
36. X 0 1 2 3 4

X 0 1 2 P X  15 80 90 24 1
210 210 210 210 210
P X  9 10 2
21 21 21
42. 52.

X 0 1 2 X 0 1 2 3 4

P X  144 24 1 P X  16 32 24 8 1
169 169 169 81 81 81 81 81

2 4
and Mean  Mean 
13 3

43. 0.99144 44. Mean = 2, Variance = 1 1 90 243

53. (i) , (ii) , (iii)
1024 1024 1024
1 1 27 459
45. 46. (i) , (ii) 47.
4 256 128 512 3 1 3
54. 55. 56.
5 7 9 7
75
48. Atleast 3 times 49.   57. A and B are not Independent.
36

50. 8 5 15 1
58. 59. 60. 61. k 
11 34 23 6
X 0 1 2 3
1
62. Mean = 4, Variance = 1 63.
P X  125 75 15 1 4
216 216 216 216
9
64. 1 65. 0.28 66. Mean 
10
4 16
51. Mean  ; Variance 
5 25 21 3 63
67. 68. 0.3 69. 70.
43 5 500