Probability and Counting

1. 8 people A, B, C, D, E, F, G and H stand in a row.

(a) Find the number of arrangements such that E stands at either end.
(b) Find the number of arrangements such that E stands at either end and F does
not stand at either end.

2. 3 balls are drawn randomly from a bag with 1 red ball, 1 white ball, 2 yellow balls
and 3 green balls.
(a) Find the probability that the white ball is drawn.
(b) Find the probability that 1 red ball, 1 white ball and 1 green ball are drawn.
(c) Find the probability that the 3 balls drawn are of 3 different colours given that
the white ball is drawn.

3. A four-digit number is randomly formed by {1, 2, 3, 5, 7} and each digit can be

used only once.
(a) Find the number of different numbers can be formed.
(b) Find the probability that an even number greater than 3000 is formed.
4. It is given that the probability of three students A, B and C passing a test are 4/7,
3/5, 2/3 respectively.
(a) Find the probability that all of them pass the test.
(b) Find the probability that exactly two of them pass the test.
(c) It is given that at least two of them pass the test, find the probability that A
passes the test.

5. 3 fair dice are thrown randomly. Find the probability that the numbers on the
three dice are all different.

6. 6 boys and 4 girls stand in a row.

(a) Find the number of different arrangements such that no girls stand next to
each other.
(b) It is given that no girls stand next to each other, find the probability that both
ends are girls.
7. There are 4 red balls and 6 yellow balls in a bag. 3 balls are drawn randomly from
the bag at the same time.
(a) Find the probability that at least 1 yellow ball is drawn.
(b) Find the probability that exactly 1 yellow ball is drawn.

8. An MC Quiz consists of 10 questions, each with 4 choices. If a student answers

fewer than 4 questions correctly, he/she has to attend the remedial class. Ken
decides to randomly answer each question.
(a) Find the probability that Ken answers exactly 2 questions correctly.
(b) Find the probability that Ken has to attend the remedial class.
(c) If a student answers 9 or more questions correctly, he/she will receive a prize.
It is given that Ken does not need to attend the remedial class, find the
probability that he can get a prize.

9. Alan, Boris and Calvin are trying to solve a problem independently. The
probabilities that Alan, Boris and Calvin can solve the problem alone are 5/9, 4/7,
3/5 respectively.
(a) Find the probability that the problem can be solved.
(b) It is given that the problem is solved, find the probability that it is solved by
only one of them.
10. A committee of 6 members are chosen from a class of 10 girls and 8 boys.
(a) Find the number of different committees that can be formed.
(b) Find the number of different committees with different genders that can be
formed.

11. 8 cards numbered 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 are given. Find the number of ways to select
3 cards
(a) so that the sum of the numbers is less than 12 ,
(b) so that the product of the numbers is a multiple of 2

12. A Mathematics test consists of two papers, Paper 1 and Paper 2. A student will
get a certificate if he passes in both papers. The probability for a student to get
passes in Paper 1 and Paper 2 are 0.8 and 0.7 respectively. If a student fails in
Paper 2 only, he will have one more chance to attempt Paper 2. Find the
probability that
(a) a student can get the certificate,
(b) at least one get a certificate if two students sit for the tests,
(c) a student takes the second attempt on Paper 2 given that he gets a certificate.