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Probability

17 practice questions with full worked solutions. Free, no account needed.

Problems & worked solutions

Problem #0463 International

Problem 1 Probability

A card is drawn at random from a standard 52-card deck. The probability that it is a heart is:

Show answer & worked solution
  1. A. 152
  2. B. 113
  3. C. 14✓ correct
  4. D. 12

The deck has 13 hearts out of 52 cards: 1352=14.

Problem #0461 International

Problem 2 Probability

A fair coin is tossed once. The probability of obtaining heads is:

Show answer & worked solution
  1. A. 0
  2. B. 12✓ correct
  3. C. 1
  4. D. 14

A fair coin has two equally likely outcomes; the probability of heads is 12.

Problem #0462 International

Problem 3 Probability

A fair 6-sided die is rolled. The probability of obtaining an even number is:

Show answer & worked solution
  1. A. 13
  2. B. 12✓ correct
  3. C. 23
  4. D. 16

Even outcomes: {2,4,6}, three out of six. Probability =36=12.

Problem #0947 US SAT

Problem 4 Classical Probability

A fair six-sided die is rolled once. The probability of rolling an even number is:

Show answer & worked solution
  1. A. 13
  2. B. 12✓ correct
  3. C. 23
  4. D. 16

Even outcomes on a die: {2,4,6} — that is 3 outcomes.

Total outcomes: 6.

Probability =36=12.

Problem #0948 US SAT

Problem 5 Events

If P(A)=0.3, then P(Aˉ) (the probability that A does not occur) is:

Show answer & worked solution
  1. A. 0.3
  2. B. 1
  3. C. 0.7✓ correct
  4. D. 0

P(Aˉ)=1P(A)=10.3=0.7.

Problem #0826 International

Problem 6 Probability

A bag contains 20 coloured counters. The table shows how many counters there are of each colour. ColourRedBlueGreenYellowNumber5384 One counter is taken at random. What is the probability that it is green?

Show answer & worked solution
  1. A. 25✓ correct
  2. B. 35
  3. C. 23
  4. D. 14

There are 8 green counters out of 20 in total: P(green)=820 Simplify the fraction by dividing top and bottom by 4: 820=25

Problem #0927 US SAT

Problem 7 Probability

The table shows the 50 members of a school club, grouped by grade level and by whether they play a musical instrument.

PlaysDoesn’tTotalGrade 981220Grade 10121830Total203050

If one member is selected at random, what is the probability that the member plays a musical instrument?

Show answer & worked solution
  1. A. 25✓ correct
  2. B. 35
  3. C. 23
  4. D. 625

A random selection makes every member equally likely, so the probability is the favorable count over the total count.

P(plays)=2050=25

Problem #0764 FR Spé

Problem 8 Probability

A workshop produces parts on two machines. Machine A makes 60% of the parts and machine B makes the remaining 40%. Among the parts from A, 5% are defective; among the parts from B, 10% are defective. A part is drawn at random from the day's production. What is the probability that it is defective?

Show answer & worked solution
  1. A. 0.07✓ correct
  2. B. 0.075
  3. C. 0.15
  4. D. 0.04

Let D be the event "the part is defective". By the law of total probability over the branches A and B: P(D)=P(A)PA(D)+P(B)PB(D) P(D)=0.60×0.05+0.40×0.10 P(D)=0.03+0.04=0.07 So the probability that the part is defective is 0.07.

Problem #0770 IB AA

Problem 9 Probability

A factory uses two machines. Machine A makes 60% of the items and Machine B makes the remaining 40%. Of the items from Machine A, 5% are defective; of those from Machine B, 10% are defective. An item is selected at random and found to be defective. Find the probability that it was made by Machine A.

Show answer & worked solution
  1. A. 37✓ correct
  2. B. 47
  3. C. 35
  4. D. 3100

Multiply along each branch to get the joint probabilities: P(AD)=0.6×0.05=0.03 P(BD)=0.4×0.10=0.04 The total probability of a defective item is P(D)=0.03+0.04=0.07 Apply the conditional probability formula: P(AD)=0.030.07=37

Problem #0468 International

Problem 10 Probability

A coin is tossed 3 times. The probability of getting at least one head is:

Show answer & worked solution
  1. A. 18
  2. B. 38
  3. C. 12
  4. D. 78✓ correct

P(TTT)= ⁣(12)3=18, so P(1H)=118=78.

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