Basic Probability

Problems on Basic Probability:

1. From a well shuffled deck of 52 cards, one card is drawn at random: What is the probability
that it is
a. Red
b. Spade
c. Ace
d. Red king
e. King or diamond
f. King or queen
g. Heart or club
h. Spade or ace
2. Two fair coins are tossed simultaneously. What is the probability of getting?
a. Two heads
b. no head
c. one head and one tail
d. at least one head
e. at most one tail
3. When rolling a die once, what is the probability that
a. The face of the die is odd?
b.The face is even or odd?
c. The face is even or one?
d.The face is odd or one?
e. The face is both even and a one?
4. Two fair dice are thrown at random. What is the probability that the turn up show
a. a sum 7
b. sum of 8 or 9
c. a sum less than 5
d. the two dice show the same number
e. the number on the two dice differ by more than 2
f. the product of the two number is even.
5. A stockiest has 20 items in a lot; out of which 12 are non defective and 8 defective. A
customer selects 3 items from the lot. What is the probability that
a. All the three are non defective
b. Two are non defective and one is defective
6. Five men in a company of 20 are graduates. If 3 men are picked out of the 20 at random, what
is the probability that they are
a. all graduates
b. all non-graduates
c. 2 graduates
d. at most 1 graduates
e. at least one graduates
f. 2 non graduates
7. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor statistics, 75% of the Women 25 through 49 years of
age participates in the labor force. Suppose 78% of the women in that age group are married.
Suppose also that 61% of women 25 through 49 years of age are married and are participate
in the labor force.
a. What is the probability that a randomly selected woman in that age group is married
or is participating in the labor force?
b. What is the probability that a randomly selected woman in that age group is married
or is participating in the labor but not both?
c. What is the probability that a randomly selected woman in that age group is neither
married nor participating in the labor force?

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8. A survey conducted by the Northwestern University Lindquist- Endicott Report asked 320
companies about the procedure4s that use in hiring. Only 54% of the responding companies
review the applicants college transcript as part of the hiring process, and only 44% consider
faculty references. Assume that these percentages are true for the population of companies in
the United States and that 35% of all companies use both the applicants college transcript and
faculty references.
a. What is the probability that a randomly selected company uses either faculty
references or college transcript as part of the hiring process?
b. What is the probability that a randomly selected company uses either faculty
references or college transcript but not both as part of the hiring process?
c. What is the probability that a randomly selected company uses neither faculty
references nor college transcript as part of the hiring process?
d. Construct a joint probability table for this problem and indicate the locations of your
answers for part (a), (b), and (c) on the table.
9. A survey is conducted to determine whether there is a relationship between students interest
in finance and his or her ability in mathematics. A random sample of 200 students is selected
and they are asked whether their interest in finance and ability in mathematics are low,
average or high. The results are as follows
Ability in mathematics
Interest in finance low average high
Low 60 15 15
Average 15 45 10
High 5 10 25
If a students is selected at random, what is the probability that he or she
a. Has a high ability in mathematics?
b. Has an average interest in finance?
c. Has a low interest in finance and a low ability in mathematics?
d. Has a high interest in finance or a high ability in mathematics?
e. Assume we know that the person selected has a high ability in mathematics. What is
the probability that the person has a high interest in finance?
f. Assume we know that the person selected has an average ability in mathematics.
What is the probability that this individual has a low interest in finance?
10. A sample of 500 respondents was selected in a large metropolitan area in order to determine
various information concerning consumer behaviors. Among the question asked was do you
enjoy shopping for clothing?" Of 240 males, 136 answered yes. Of 260 females, 224
answered yes.
a. Set up the 2X2 table
b. What is the probability that a respondent chosen at random
i. Is a male?
ii. Enjoys shopping for clothing?
iii. Is a female?
iv. Is a female and enjoys shopping for clothing?
v. Is a male and does not enjoys shopping for clothing?
vi. Is a female or enjoys shopping for clothing?
vii. Is a male or females?
c. Suppose the respondent chosen is a female. What then is the probability that she does
not enjoy shopping for clothing?
d. Suppose the respondent chosen enjoys shopping for clothing. What then is the
probability that the individual is a male?
11. A study by peter D. Hart Research Associates for the Nasdaq Stock Market revealed that 43%
of all American adults are stockholders. In addition, the study determined that 75% of all
American adult stockholders have some college education. Suppose 39% of all American
adults have some college education. An American adult is randomly selected
a. What is the probability that the adult does not own stock?
b. What is the probability that the adult owns stock and has some college education?

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c. What is the probability that the adult owns stock or has some college education?
d. What is probability that the adult has neither some college education nor owns stock?
e. What is the probability that the adult does not own stock or has no college education?
f. What is the probability that the adult has some college education and owns no stock?
12. According to Reuters, a survey undertaken by the National Centre for Health statistics
revealed that about 25% of households have only a cell phone (no landline). According to the
FCC, 65% of households have high speed internet. Suppose of households having only a cell
phone, 80% have high speed internet. A household is randomly selected.
a. What is the probability that the household has only a cell phone and has high speed
internet?
b. What is the probability that the household has only a cell phone or has high speed
internet?
c. What is the probability that the households has only a cell phone and does not have
high speed internet?
d. What is the probability that the household does not have just a cell phone and does
not have high speed internet?
e. What is the probability that the household does not have just a cell phone and does
have high speed internet?

13. If P (A and B) =0.4 and P (B) =0.8, find P (A/B)

14. If P (A) =0.7 and P (B) =0.6, and if A and B are statistically independent, find
P (A and B)
15. Given that P(A) = 3/14, P(B) = 1/6, P(C) = 1/3 ,P(AC) = 1/7 and P(B/C) = 5/21. Find the
following probabilities:
a. P(A/C)
b. P(C/A)
c. P(BC)
d. P(C/B)

16. Arthur Andersen Enterprise Group/National Small Business United, Washington, conducted a
national survey of small-business owners to determine the challenges for growth for their
businesses. The top challenge, selected by 46% of the small-business owners, was the
economy. A close second was finding qualified workers (37%). Suppose 20% of the small-
business owners selected both the economy and finding qualified workers as challenges for
growth. A small-business owner is randomly selected.
a. What is the probability that the owner believes the economy is a challenge for growth
if the owner believes that finding qualified worker is a challenge for growth?
b. What is the probability that the owner believes that findings qualified workers is a
challenge for growth if the owner believes that the economy is a challenge for
growth?
c. Given that the owner does not select the economy as a challenge for growth, what is
the probability the owner believes that finding qualified worker is a challenge for
growth?
d. What is the probability that the owner believes neither that the economy is a
challenge for growth nor that finding qualified workers is a challenge for growth?
17. In a study undertaken by Catalyst, 43% of women senior executives agreed pr strongly agreed
that a lack of role models was a barrier to their career development. In addition, 46% agreed
or strongly agreed that gender-based stereotypes were barriers to their career advancement.
Suppose 77% of those who agreed or strongly agreed that gender-based stereotypes were
barriers to their career advancement agreed or strongly agreed that the lack of role models
was a barrier to their career development. If one of these female senior executives is
randomly selected, determine the following probabilities:
a. What is the probability that the senior executive does not agree or strongly agree that
a lack of role models was a barrier to her career development given that she does

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agree or strongly agree that gender-based stereotypes ware barriers to her career
development?
b. What is the probability that the senior executives does not agree or strongly agree that
gender-based stereotypes were barrier to her career development given that she does
agree or strongly agree that the lack of role models was a barrier to her career
development?
c. If it is known that the senior executive does not agree or strongly agree that gender-
based stereotypes were barriers to her career development, what is the probability that
she does not agree or strongly agree that the lack of role models was a barrier to her
career development?

Application of Bays Theorem:

18. In the manufacturing plant, machine A produces 15% of certain product, machine B produces
45% of this product, and machine C produces 40% of this product. Five percent of machine A
products are defective, 10% of machine B products are defective, and 6% of machine C
products are defective. The company inspector has just sampled a product from this plant and
has found it to be defective. Determine the revised probabilities that the sampled product was
produced by machine (a) A, (b) B, and (C).

19. A Company has 2 machines that produce widgets. An older machine produces 23% defective
widgets, while the new machine produces only 8% defective widgets. In additions, the new
machine produces 3 times as many widgets as the older machine does.
a. What is the probability that a randomly chosen widget produced by the company is
defective?
b.Given that a randomly chosen widget was tested and found to be defective, what is
the probability it was produced by the new machine?
c. Given that a randomly chosen widget was tested and found to be defective, what is
the probability it was produced by the old machine?
20. A physical therapist at Enormous State of University knows that the football team will play 40
percent of its games on artificial turf this session. He also knows that a football players
chances of incurring a knee injury are 50 percent higher if he is playing on artificial turf
instead of grass. If a players probability of knee injury on artificial turf is 0.42, what is the
probability that
a. A randomly selected football player incurs a knee injury?
b. A randomly selected football player with a knee injury incurred the injury playing on
grass?