Examples: Probability | CSAT Preparation - UPSC PDF Download

CAT exam is all about how smartly you solve the question in the quickest way. To help you with that, we at EduRev have started a summary sheet of formulae which will have all the shortcuts & formulae in one sheet. In this document you would be revising all the important parts of Probability, this document helps you in understanding the shortcuts & formulae of probability in a faster way.

Important Tips & Formulae of Probability
The probability of an event A is the number of ways event A can occur divided by the total number of possible outcomes. The probability of an event A, symbolized by P(A), is a number between 0 and 1, inclusive, that measures the likelihood of an event in the following way:

• If P(A) > P(B) then event A is more likely to occur than event B.
• If P(A) = P(B) then events A and B are equally likely to occur.
• Two events are mutually exclusive if the intersection of two events is null (A ∩ B = φ)
• If E and F two events then P(E U F) = P(E) + P(F) - P(E and F together)
• If an event E is sure to occur, you say that the probability of event E is equal to 1 and you write P (E) = 1. Such events are known as certain events.
• If an event E is sure not to occur, you say that the probability of the Event E is equal to 0 and you write P(E) = 0. Such events are known as impossible events.
• The probability of E not occurring, denoted by P(not E), is given by P(not E) or P
• The odds in favor of occurrence of the event A are defined by m: n – m i.e., P (A): P () and the odds against the occurrence of A are defined by n – m : m, i.e., P (): P (A)
• To find the probability of two or more independent events occurring in sequence, find the probability of each event occurring separately, and then multiply the answers.

Example:  If a number is selected at random from the 2 digit 6 multiples, what is the probability that it is divisible by 9?
Solution. Total 6 multiples = 12, - - - -, 96 ⇒ 15.
Required numbers are both multiples of 6 & 9
i. e, the multiples of 18. Those are 18, 36,- - - -, 90, total 5.
∴ Ans =

Practice Question 

Example: In a game, there are three rounds; the probabilities of winning first, second & third rounds are  respectively. A prize will be given, if any one wins all the rounds. What is the probability of winning the prize?