Probability – Study notes |1

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CHAPTER 8

PROBABILITY

Study Notes
Random Experiment
An experiment is called random experiment if it satisfies the following conditions.
(1) It has more than one outcome.
(2) It is not possible to predict the outcome in advance.
(3) It can be repeated any number of times under identical conditions.
Eg 1:- Tossing a coin. Here the possible results are ‘Head and Tail’.
The result varies from trial to trail without any order. So we cannot predict the
result of a particular trial. The results in a random experiment are called outcomes.
Eg 2:- Consider the tossing of a die. The possible outcomes are ‘1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6’.
Sample Space (S)
The set of all possible results of a random experiment is called sample space. It is
denoted by the letter, ‘S’. The elements of the sample space are usually listed within a
curly bracket { }.
Eg 1:- In the experiment of tossing a coin, the sample space is
S = {H, T}

Eg 2:- In the experiment of tossing a die, the sample space is

S = {1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6)

The sample space may be finite or infinite.

Sample point

Each element in the sample space is called sample point. In the experiment of
tossing a coin the sample points are H and T. In the experiment of tossing a die, the
sample points are 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6.

Qn 1: Write the sample space obtained when 2 coins are tossed simultaneously.

Ans: S = {HH, HT, TH, TT}

Qn 2: What is the sample space obtained when two dies are tossed once?

Ans
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(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) 
S=  
(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) 

Qn 3: A coin is tossed. If ‘Head’ appears a die will throw. If ‘Tail’ appears, the coin will
again toss. Write down the sample space.

Ans

S = {(H,1), (H,2), H,3), (H,4), (H,5), (H,6), (T,H), (T,T)}

Events

An event is sub group (sub set) of the sample space. It contains a set of outcomes

which have some characteristics in common.

Eg:- Suppose a die is tossed. We know that the sample space contains 6 outcomes.

S = {1,2,3,4,5,6}

Consider a sub group – a number less than 4 is obtained. This sub group contains
the outcomes 1,2,3. This is called an event. This event can be denoted as {1,2,3}.
Usually capital letters of English alphabet are used to denote events.

ie, A = {1,2,3}. Similarly we can define other events, B = {1,5,6}, C = {4,6},

D = {2,4,6} etc.

There are two types of events – Simple event and Compound event. An event with

only one outcome is called simple event. An event which contains more than one outcome
is called compound event.

Eg;- Consider the experiment of tossing a die. The event A = {5} is a simple event and
the event B = {1,3,5} is a compound event.

We can divide compound events into simple events.

An event is said to be happened if the result of the trial is an element i=of the event.

Suppose the event A is A = {1,5,6}. Then A is said to be happen in a particular trial if the
result of that particular trial is 1 or 5 or 6. If the result of the trial is 4, we can say
that the event A is not happened.
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Sure and Impossible Events

The sample space S is called the sure event. Because it contains all the passible
results of the experiment. If we conduct a trial then the result of the trial is surely an
element of the sample space. Ie, the sample space S happens in all the repetition of the
experiment.

The event with no elements is called an impossible event. If we conduct a trial of

the experiment, surely there will be a result. So the event with no elements can not ba
happen in any repetition of the experiment. So this event is called the impossible event.
This impossible event is also known as ‘null event’, denoted by { } or 

Sets of Events

a) Equally likely events.

A set of events is said to be equally likely if they have the same chance of
occurrence.

Eg;- in the experiment of tossing a die, the event A ={1,3.6) ans B = {2,3,4} are mulually
exclusive. Both of them have the same chance of occurrence.

b) Mutually exclusive events

Two events A and B are said to be mutually exclusive if they cannot occur at the
same time. There are no common outcomes for mutually exclusive events. ie There is no
elements in A∩B or A∩B = { }

A B

Venn Diagram showing mutually exclusive events.

Eg 1:- Consider the experiment of tossing a die once. Consider the following events.
A = {1,3,5}, B = {2,4,6} C = {1,2,3}
Here the events A and B are mutually exclusive because no element is common for
A and B. But the events A and C are not mutually exclusive, because the elements
1 and 3 are common for A and C. Similarly B and C are also not mutually exclusive.
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Eg 2:- Consider the experiment of tossing a coin. Here the events A = {H} and B={T} are
mutually exclusive.

c) Exhaustive events
A set of events are said to be exhaustive, if they altogether constitute the
sample space.

Eg:- Let A = {1,2,3}, B = {2,4}, C = {1,5,6} be the events related to the experiment of
tossing a die. Here we get the sample space when we combine these 3 events. Ie
AUBUC = {1,2,3,4,5,6}=S

Classical Definition of Probability

Suppose A is an event associated with a random experiment. Let S be the sample
space. Suppose there are ‘n’ outcomes in S and ‘f’ outcomes in A. Then the mathematical
probability of the event A is defined as

No. of casesfavourabletoA
P (A) 
Total number of cases
No. of outcomes in A n(A) f
  
No. of outcomes in S n(S ) n

Properties of Probability

1. P (A)  0 for every event A.

2. P(A) lies between 0 and 1. ie 0  P (A)  1
3. Probability of the impossible event is 0 and probability of sure event is 1.
ie P (S )  1

Qn 4. Three coins are tossed. Find the probability of getting three heads.

Ans The sample space obtained when 3 coins are tossed is

S = {HHH, HHT, HTH, HTT, THH. THT, TTH, TTT}.
ie, total no. of cases = 8.
P(getting 3 heads) = 1
8
Qn 5. In a school there are 100 science students 100 commerce students and 150
humanities students. If a leader is selected at random, what is the probability
that he is a humanities student.
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Ans There are a total of 100+100+150=350 students, of them 150 are humanities
students.
P(selecting a humanities student as leader) = 150
350
Algebra of Events

Suppose A and B are two events related to a random experiment. The following
events can be represented using A and B as

1. not A – this contains the outcomes which are not in A. AC

Denoted by A’ or AC. A

P(A’) = 1 – P(A)

2. A or B – Contains outcomes in at least one among the events A

or B. It is also denoted as AUB.

3. A and B – Denotes the simultaneous occurance of A and B. It

contains outcomes which are both in A and in B. That
is outcomes common to A and B. It is denoted as
A∩B.

4. A’ and B’ – Contains outcomes which are neither in A nor in B. B

A
The shaded region is A’ and B’ (A’∩B’).

5. A and B’ – Contains outcomes only in the event A which are not

in B. It is denoted by A∩B’.

6. (A and B’) or (A’ and B) – Contains outcomes exactly one among A and B.

Addition Rule on Probability

Let A and B be two events associated with a random experiment. Then

P (Aor B )  P (A  B)  P (A)  P (B)  P (A  B )
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Note:- 1. If A and B are mutually exclusive events, then P (A  B)  0

 P (A  B)  P (A)  P (B)

2. P (A  B)  P (A)  P (B)  P (A  B)

Qn 9: A person is known to hit the target in 3 out of 4 shots, whereas another person is
known to hit the target in 2 out of 4. If the probability of both hit the target is
0.5, find the probability that at least one hit the target.

Ans: Define the events,

A – The first person hits the target and B – The second person hits the target.

3 2
Given that, P(A) =  0.75 , P(B) =  0.5 and P (A  B)  0.5
4 4

P(At least one hit the target) = P (A  B)

= P (A)  P (B)  P (A  B) = 0.75+0.5-0.5 = 0.5

Qn 10: A bag contains 30 balls numbered from 1 to 30. One ball is drawn at random. Find
the probability that the number of the ball drawn will be a multiple of a) 5 or 7
b) 3 or 7.

Ans: We have 30 balls numbered 1 to 30.

a) Let the event A denotes that the number on the ball drawn is a multiple of 5
and B denotes the number is a multiple of 7.

A = {5,10,15,20,25} and B = {7,14,21,28}

5 4
P (A)  and P (B) 
30 30

There are no outcomes common to A and B. So they are mutually exclusive.

P(the number is a multiple of 5 or 7) = P (A  B)  P (A)  P (B)  P (A  B)

5 4 9
=  0 
30 30 30

b) Let the event A denotes that the number on the ball drawn is a multiple of 3
and B denotes the number is a multiple of 7.

A = {3,6,9,12,15,18,21,24,27,30} and B = {7,14,21,28}

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5 4
P (A)  and P (B) 
30 30

1
Here A  B  {21}  P (A  B) 
30

P(the number is a multiple of 3 or 7) = P (A  B)  P (A)  P (B)  P (A  B)

10 4 1 13
=   
30 30 30 30