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Probability Equation Questions

discia.org 10 questions · 41 marks
Name Date
  1. Either paper 5 marks

    A bag contains red, blue and green counters.

    The number of red counters is \(x + 4\).

    The number of blue counters is \(3x - 3\).

    The number of green counters is \(3x + 4\).

    A counter is taken from the bag at random. The probability that it is blue is \(\frac{6}{17}\).

    (a)

    Find the value of \(x\).

    (b)

    Work out how many counters of each colour are in the bag.

    Show answer
    (a) \(9\)
    (b) 13 red, 24 blue and 31 green
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  2. Either paper 4 marks

    A spinner can land on blue, purple, orange or red.

    The table shows the probability of each colour.

    ColourBluePurpleOrangeRed
    Probability\(x\)\(3x\)\(2x\)\(0.1\)
    (a)

    Find the value of \(x\).

    (b)

    The spinner is spun 400 times.

    Work out an estimate for the number of times it lands on purple.

    Show answer
    (a) \(0.15\)
    (b) \(180\)
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  3. Either paper 4 marks

    A bag contains \(24\) chips. Some of them are blue and the rest are yellow.

    Omar takes a chip at random from the bag, records its colour, and puts it back.

    He then takes a second chip at random from the bag.

    The probability that both chips are blue is \(\frac{ 289 }{ 576 }\).

    (a)

    Calculate how many of the chips in the bag are blue.

    (b)

    Calculate the probability that neither chip is blue.

    Show answer
    (a) \(17\ \text{chips}\)
    (b) \(\frac{49}{576}\)
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  4. Either paper 4 marks

    A bag contains only red counters and green counters.

    A counter is taken from the bag at random. The probability that it is red is \(\frac{1}{3}\).

    The counter is put back, and then 8 more red counters are put into the bag.

    A counter is now taken from the bag at random. The probability that it is red is \(\frac{1}{2}\).

    Calculate how many counters were in the bag to start with.

    Show answer
    \(24\)
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  5. Either paper 2 marks

    There are only blue buttons and red buttons in a tin.

    The number of blue buttons to the number of red buttons is in the ratio \(3 : 5\).

    Nadia takes at random one button from the tin. She records the colour of the button and then replaces it in the tin.

    Nadia does this \(n\) times, where \(n \geq 2\).

    Write down an expression, in terms of \(n\), for the probability that Nadia gets at least one blue button and at least one red button.

    Show answer
    \(1 - \left(\frac{ 3 }{ 8 }\right)^n - \left(\frac{ 5 }{ 8 }\right)^n\)
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  6. Either paper 5 marks

    There are only \(u\) red counters and \(g\) green counters in a bag.

    A counter is taken at random from the bag. The probability that the counter is green is \(\frac{3}{7}\).

    The counter is put back in the bag. 4 more red counters and 5 more green counters are put in the bag.

    A counter is taken at random from the bag. The probability that the counter is green is \(\frac{7}{15}\).

    Find the number of red counters and the number of green counters that were in the bag originally.

    Show answer
    \(12 red counters and 9 green counters\)
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  7. Either paper 5 marks

    A bag contains red, blue and green counters.

    The number of red counters is \(x + 6\).

    The number of blue counters is \(3x + 6\).

    The number of green counters is \(3x + 6\).

    A counter is taken from the bag at random. The probability that it is blue is \(\frac{9}{22}\).

    (a)

    Calculate the value of \(x\).

    (b)

    Calculate how many counters of each colour are in the bag.

    Show answer
    (a) \(10\)
    (b) 16 red, 36 blue and 36 green
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  8. Either paper 4 marks

    A spinner can land on red, blue, green or yellow.

    The table gives the probability of each colour.

    ColourRedBlueGreenYellow
    Probability\(x\)\(3x\)\(2x\)\(0.4\)
    (a)

    Calculate the value of \(x\).

    (b)

    The spinner is spun 300 times.

    Work out an estimate for the number of times it lands on blue.

    Show answer
    (a) \(0.1\)
    (b) \(90\)
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  9. Either paper 4 marks

    A bag contains \(15\) cubes. Some of them are green and the rest are white.

    Zainab takes a cube at random from the bag, records its colour, and puts it back.

    She then takes a second cube at random from the bag.

    The probability that both cubes are green is \(\frac{ 169 }{ 225 }\).

    (a)

    Calculate how many of the cubes in the bag are green.

    (b)

    Find the probability that neither cube is green.

    Show answer
    (a) \(13\ \text{cubes}\)
    (b) \(\frac{4}{225}\)
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  10. Either paper 4 marks

    A bag contains only red counters and green counters.

    A counter is taken from the bag at random. The probability that it is red is \(\frac{1}{4}\).

    The counter is put back, and then 6 more red counters are put into the bag.

    A counter is now taken from the bag at random. The probability that it is red is \(\frac{2}{5}\).

    Work out how many counters were in the bag to start with.

    Show answer
    \(24\)
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discia.org Probability Equation Questions · sheet 1
Answers Probability Equation Questions · sheet 1
  1. (a) \(9\)
    (b) 13 red, 24 blue and 31 green
  2. (a) \(0.15\)
    (b) \(180\)
  3. (a) \(17\ \text{chips}\)
    (b) \(\frac{49}{576}\)
  4. \(24\)
  5. \(1 - \left(\frac{ 3 }{ 8 }\right)^n - \left(\frac{ 5 }{ 8 }\right)^n\)
  6. \(12 red counters and 9 green counters\)
  7. (a) \(10\)
    (b) 16 red, 36 blue and 36 green
  8. (a) \(0.1\)
    (b) \(90\)
  9. (a) \(13\ \text{cubes}\)
    (b) \(\frac{4}{225}\)
  10. \(24\)
discia.org Probability Equation Questions · sheet 1