Mathematics O Level P1 & P2 Topical Workbook

Probability
Q. No. 1 -15 Paper – 1
Q. No. 16 – 30 Paper – 2

1. M/J 22/P12/Q22
A bag contains these 9 letter tiles.

I S O S C E L E S

(a) Nur takes one tile from the bag at random.

She notes the letter and then puts the tile back in the bag.

Find the probability that she does not take a letter E.

................................................. [1]

(b) Nur now takes two of the 9 letter tiles at random without replacement.

Find the probability that both tiles show the same letter.

................................................. [3]

2. M/J 21/P12/Q7
A bag contains coloured counters.
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A counter is taken from the bag at random.
The table shows the probabilities of taking a counter of each colour.
So

Colour Red Green Blue Yellow

Probability 0.15 0.3 0.42

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Complete the table. [2]

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Mathematics O Level P1 & P2 Topical Workbook 2

3. M/J 21/P11/Q11
(a) In a survey, 3 out of every 100 women were taller than 1.9 m.
One of these 100 women is picked at random.

Calculate the probability that she is not taller than 1.9 m.

................................................. [1]

(b) A new housing estate is being planned.

There are three possible plans: A, B and C.
A survey was carried out to see which plan people preferred.
The relative frequency table shows the results.

Plan A B C
Relative frequency 0.3 0.5 0.2

52 people preferred plan C.

(i) Find how many people preferred plan A.

................................................. [2]

(ii) Calculate the total number of people surveyed.

................................................. [1]

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Mathematics O Level P1 & P2 Topical Workbook 3

4. O/N 20/P12/Q15
Two bags contain beads.

The first bag contains 7 beads, of which 3 are red and 4 are white.
The second bag contains 5 beads, of which 2 are red and 3 are blue.

One bead is taken, at random, from each bag.

The tree diagram is shown below.

First bag Second bag

2 Red
5

3 Red
7 3
Blue
5
2 Red
5
4
7 White

3 Blue
5

Find the probability that

(a) both beads are red,

................................................. [1]

(b) both beads are white,

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................................................. [1]
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(c) exactly one bead is red.

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................................................. [2]
Mathematics O Level P1 & P2 Topical Workbook 4

5. O/N 19/P12/Q17
A bag contains two white beads and one black bead only.
Two beads are taken, at random, without replacement from the bag.

(a) Complete the tree diagram.

First bead Second bead

white

1
3 black

[2]

(b) Write down the probability that two black beads are taken.

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.................................................... [1]
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Mathematics O Level P1 & P2 Topical Workbook 5
10
6. M/J 19/P12/Q17

Nima has these six cards. Each card has a shape on it.
She takes two cards at random without replacement.

(a) Complete the tree diagram.

First Second
card card

3
5

4
6
....................

....................

....................

....................

[2]

(b) Find the probability that the shapes on Nima’s two cards are the same.
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Give your answer as a fraction.
So
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.................................................... [2]
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Mathematics O Level P1 & P2 Topical Workbook 6

7. M/J 19/P11/Q18
Jim plays for his local football team.
The probability that Jim plays in the next match is 0.7 .

If Jim plays in the match, the probability of his team winning is 0.8 .
If Jim does not play in the match, the probability of his team winning is 0.6 .

(a) Complete the tree diagram.

Team wins
0.8

Jim
plays
.................... Team does
.................... not win

Team wins
0.6

Jim
....................
does not
play

Team does
.................... not win
[2]

(b) Calculate the probability that Jim’s team wins their next match.

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So

.................................................... [2]
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Mathematics O Level P1 & P2 Topical Workbook 7

8. O/N 18/P12/Q17

Bag A Bag B

Bag A contains 3 black and 2 white beads.

Bag B contains 2 black and 4 white beads.

A bead is chosen, at random, from Bag A and placed in Bag B.

A bead is then chosen, at random, from Bag B.

(a) Complete the tree diagram.

Bag A Bag B

3
7 black

3 black
5
white

2
5 white

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(b) Find the probability that a black bead is taken from Bag B.
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Answer .......................................... [2]

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Mathematics O Level P1 & P2 Topical Workbook 8

9. M/J 18/P11/Q12
Basia records the colour of 100 cars passing the school gate.
Her results are recorded in the table.

Colour of car Black Grey Red Blue Other

Frequency 43 18 12 9 18

(a) Use Basia’s results to estimate the probability that the next car seen is a blue car.

Answer .......................................... [1]

(b) In the next hour, 500 cars pass the school gate.

Use Basia’s results to estimate the number of these cars that are red.

Answer .......................................... [1]

(c) Colin records the colour of the next 100 cars passing the school gate.
His results are shown in the table below.

Colour of car Black Grey Red Blue Other

Frequency 34 10 18 28 10

Use Basia’s and Colin’s combined results to estimate the number of red cars that would be seen
when 500 cars pass the school gate.

Answer .......................................... [1]

(d) Which of the estimates in part (b) or in part (c) is likely to be the best?
Give a reason for your decision. ro
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The best estimate is ............... because ...................................................................................................

............................................................................................................................................................. [1]
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Mathematics O Level P1 & P2 Topical Workbook 9

10. O/N 17/P12/Q19

Each time an archer fires an arrow, the probability that she hits the target is 0.7 .
She fires two arrows.

(a) Complete the tree diagram.

First arrow Second arrow

0.7 hit
hit
0.7
miss

hit
miss

miss
[1]

(b) Find the probability that

(i) she hits the target twice,

Answer ������������������������������������������ [1]

(ii) she hits the target exactly once.

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Answer .......................................... [1]

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Mathematics O Level P1 & P2 Topical Workbook 10

11. M/J 17/P12/Q24

A bag contains n balls.
3 of the balls are white.
Two balls are taken from the bag, at random, without replacement.

(a) Complete the tree diagram.

First ball Second ball

2 White
n –1

White
3
n
.......... Not white

3 White
n –1
..........
Not white

.......... Not white

[2]
1
(b) The probability that both balls are white is .
15
Show that n 2 - n - 90 = 0 .

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[2]

(c) Find the value of n.

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Answer ........................................... [2]

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Mathematics O Level P1 & P2 Topical Workbook 11

12. M/J 17/P11/Q9

A bag contains red and blue pegs.
There are 40 pegs in the bag.
The probability of choosing a red peg from the bag is 0.4 .
(a) Work out the number of red pegs in the bag.

Answer ........................................... [1]

(b) More red pegs are added to the bag.

Work out the number of red pegs that must be added to the bag so that the probability of
choosing a blue peg is 0.2 .

Answer ........................................... [2]

13. O/N 16/P12/Q18

1 2 3 4

Four cards are marked with the numbers 1, 2, 3 and 4.

One card is chosen at random.
A second card is then chosen, at random, from the remaining three cards.
The sum of the numbers on the two chosen cards is calculated.
(a) Complete the table to show the possible outcomes.

First card ro
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1 2 3 4

1
Second card

So

3
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4
A

[1]

(b) What is the probability that the sum is less than 2?

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Answer .......................................... [1]

(c) What is the probability that the sum is greater than 5?

Answer .......................................... [1]

Mathematics O Level P1 & P2 Topical Workbook 12

14. M/J 16/P12/Q20

A bag contains 10 counters of which 8 are blue and 2 are white.
Two counters are taken from the bag at random without replacement.

(a) Complete the tree diagram to show the possible outcomes and their probabilities.

First counter Second counter

7 Blue
9

Blue
8
10
............. White

Blue
.............
.............
White

............. White
[1]

(b) Find, as a fraction, the probability that

(i) both counters are blue,

Answer ........................................... [1]

(ii) one counter is blue and the other is white.

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Answer ........................................... [2]

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Mathematics O Level P1 & P2 Topical Workbook 13

15. M/J 16/P11/Q26

Box 1 Box 2

Box 1 contains 2 white balls. Box 2 contains 4 white balls and 3 black balls.

(a) Ann chooses, at random, one ball from each box.

(i) Find the probability that these balls are both black.

Answer ............................................. [1]

(ii) Find the probability that these balls have different colours.

Answer ............................................. [1]

(b) From the original contents of Box 2, Belle chooses, at random, two balls without replacement.

Find the probability that these balls are both white.

Answer ............................................. [1]

(c) Carla chooses one of the boxes at random.

With the original box contents, she then chooses, at random, one ball from this box. ro
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Find the probability that the ball is white.
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Answer ............................................. [2]

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Mathematics O Level P1 & P2 Topical Workbook 14

16. M/J 22/P21/Q7(a)

(a) Yasir travels to work either by car, bus, train or bike.
The probabilities of using these means of transport on any work day are shown in the table.

Means of transport Car Bus Train Bike

Probability 0.12 0.40 0.26 p

(i) Find p.

p = ................................................. [1]

(ii) Find the probability that on Monday and Tuesday he travels to work by train on one day and
by bus on the other day.

................................................. [2]

(iii) Find the probability that he travels to work by bus at least once on Wednesday or Thursday.

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................................................. [3]
Mathematics O Level P1 & P2 Topical Workbook 15

17. O/N 21/P22/Q6

(a)
1
2 2

1 1

6 2
1

Asma has this fair 8‑sided spinner.

(i) She spins the spinner once.

Find the probability that the score is

(a) 6,

................................................. [1]

(b) not 2.

................................................. [1]

(ii) Asma spins the spinner twice.

Find the probability that she scores two 2s.

(b) Leon has 7 red counters, 6 green counters and 3 white counters.
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................................................. [2]
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He takes two counters at random, without replacement.

Find the probability that the two counters are the same colour.
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................................................. [3]
Mathematics O Level P1 & P2 Topical Workbook 16

18. O/N 21/P21/Q5

(a)

2 2 2 3 4 5 5 6 8 9

Khalid has these 10 number cards.

He takes a card at random, notes the number and replaces it.
He then takes a second card.

(i) Find the probability that the first card Khalid takes shows an even number.

................................................. [1]

(ii) Complete the tree diagram.

First card Second card

even number
.............

even number

.............
.............
odd number

even number
.............
.............
odd number

.............
odd number
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(iii) Work out the probability that Khalid takes one odd number and one even number.
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................................................. [2]
Mathematics O Level P1 & P2 Topical Workbook 17

(b) Basma has a bag containing 5 yellow counters, 3 pink counters and 4 black counters.
She takes two counters from the bag at random, without replacement.

Find the probability that she takes one yellow counter and one pink counter.
Give your answer as a fraction in its simplest form.

................................................. [3]

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Mathematics O Level P1 & P2 Topical Workbook 18

19. M/J 21/P22/Q11

A bag contains 12 balls.
There are x black balls in the bag and the other balls are white.

Two balls are taken at random from the bag without replacement.

(a) Complete the tree diagram.

First ball Second ball

x-1 black
11

black
x
12
white
.........

black
.........
12 - x
12
white

white
.........
[2]

(b) Find an expression for the probability of taking one ball of each colour.
Write your answer as a single fraction in terms of x.

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................................................. [3]
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Mathematics O Level P1 & P2 Topical Workbook 19

14
(c) The probability that both balls are black is .
33
Form an equation in x and solve it to find the number of black balls in the bag.
Show your working.

................................................. [4]

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Mathematics O Level P1 & P2 Topical Workbook 20
16
20. O/N 20/P21/Q8
A bag contains 36 balls.
There are n red balls in the bag.
The rest of the balls are green.
Esther takes two balls from the bag, at random, without replacement.

(a) Complete the tree diagram.

First ball Second ball

n-1 Red
35

n Red
36
36 - n
35 Green

Red
............
36 - n
36 Green

............ Green
[2]

(b) Write an expression, in terms of n, for the probability that Esther’s first ball is red and her second
ball is green.

................................................. [1]
1
(c) The probability that Esther’s first ball is red and her second ball is green is .
7
Show that n 2 - 36n + 180 = 0 . ro
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[2]
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Mathematics O Level P1 & P2 Topical Workbook 21

(d) Solve the equation n 2 - 36n + 180 = 0 .

Show your working.

n = .................. or n = .................. [2]

(e) There are more green balls than red balls in the bag.

Find the probability that Esther takes two green balls.

Give your answer as a fraction in its lowest terms.

................................................. [3]

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Mathematics O Level P1 & P2 Topical Workbook 22

21. M/J 20/P21/Q9

A bag contains 10 tiles.
There are 4 red tiles, x white tiles and the rest are blue.
Two tiles are taken at random, without replacement, from the bag.

(a) Complete the tree diagram.

First tile Second tile

Red
3
9
x
9
Red White

6-x
4 9 Blue
10

4 Red
9
x x-1
10 9
White White

6-x
9
Blue

6-x Red
10 ....................

....................
Blue White
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5-x
9 Blue
[2]
So

(b) Calculate the probability that both the tiles are red.
A li

................................................. [1]
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Mathematics O Level P1 & P2 Topical Workbook 23

x 2 - 6x + 21
(c) (i) Show that the probability that the tiles are both the same colour is .
45

[4]
16
(ii) The probability the tiles are both the same colour is .
45
Show that x 2 - 6x + 5 = 0 .

[1]

(iii) Solve x 2 - 6x + 5 = 0 .
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So

x = ....................... or x = ....................... [2]

(iv) There are more red tiles than white tiles in the bag.
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Find the probability that the first tile taken from the bag is blue.
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................................................. [2]
Mathematics O Level P1 & P2 Topical Workbook 24

22. M/J 18/P22/Q2(C)(ii,iii)

(c) Jenny also asked which type of movie each of the 60 people preferred.

The table summarises her results.

Type of movie Action Comedy Drama Horror

Frequency 24 15 9 12

(ii) One of the 60 people is chosen at random.

Find the probability that this person preferred drama or horror movies.

Answer ........................................... [1]

(iii) Two of the 60 people are chosen at random.

Calculate the probability that they both preferred comedy movies.

Answer ........................................... [2]

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Mathematics O Level P1 & P2 Topical Workbook 25

23. M/J 18/P21/Q4

T R I G O N O M E T R Y

Twelve lettered tiles spelling the word TRIGONOMETRY are placed inside a bag.

(a) A tile is taken at random from the bag.

Find the probability that the tile shows a letter R.

Give your answer as a fraction in its simplest form.

Answer .......................................... [1]

(b) All the tiles are placed back in the bag, a tile is then taken at random and placed on the table.
A second tile is taken at random and placed to the right of the first tile.
A third tile is taken at random and placed to the right of the second tile.

1st 2nd 3rd

Find the probability that, in the order the tiles were placed on the table, they spell GET.

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Answer .......................................... [2]
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Mathematics O Level P1 & P2 Topical Workbook 26

(c) Vowels are the letters A, E, I, O and U.

All other letters are consonants.
All the twelve tiles are placed back in the bag and two tiles are taken at random, without
replacement.

(i) Complete the tree diagram.

First tile Second tile

3 vowel
11

vowel
4
12
......... consonant

vowel
.........

.........
consonant

......... consonant
[2]

(ii) Find the probability that the tiles both show vowels.

Answer .......................................... [1]

(iii) Find the probability that one tile shows a vowel and one tile shows a consonant.
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Answer .......................................... [2]

A
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Mathematics O Level P1 & P2 Topical Workbook 27

24. O/N 17/P21/Q4

Adam has a bag containing 9 balls, numbered from 1 to 9.

(a) Adam takes a ball at random from the bag and replaces it.

Find the probability that the ball has an odd number.

Answer ........................................... [1]

(b) Adam takes a ball from the 9 balls in the bag, notes the number and replaces it.
He then takes a second ball from the bag, notes the number and replaces it.

(i) Work out the probability that both numbers are odd.

Answer ........................................... [1]

(ii) Work out the probability that one number is odd and the other is even.

Answer ........................................... [2]

(c) Adam now takes two balls from the 9 balls in the bag, without replacement.

Work out the probability that the two numbers are either both odd or both even.
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Answer ........................................... [3]

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Mathematics O Level P1 & P2 Topical Workbook 28

25. M/J 17/P22/Q3

Rowena spins two fair spinners, each numbered 1 to 4.
Her score is the value when the numbers on the two spinners are multiplied together.
The table shows some of Rowena’s possible scores.

× 1 2 3 4

1 1 2 3 4

2 2 4

(a) Complete the table of possible scores. [2]

(b) Find the probability that Rowena’s score is less than 4.

Answer
............................................. [1]

(c) Find the probability that Rowena’s score is an even number.

Give your answer as a fraction in its lowest terms.

Answer
............................................. [2]

(d) Phoebe says that Rowena’s score is more likely to be a square number than a factor of 6. ro
om
Is she correct?
Show your working.

Answer
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[2]
Mathematics O Level P1 & P2 Topical Workbook 29

26. M/J 17/P22/Q11(a)(iii)

(a) The table below summarises the times taken by 50 athletes to run 400 m.

Time (t seconds) 50 G t 1 55 55 G t 1 60 60 G t 1 65 65 G t 1 70 70 G t 1 75
Frequency 7 16 15 11 1

(iii) Calculate the probability that an athlete chosen at random took less than 60 seconds to run
the 400 m.

Answer ............................................. [2]

27. M/J 17/P21/Q3

Humanities: Geography (G) Science: Physics (P)

History (H) Chemistry (C)
Religious studies (R) Biology (B)

A student has to choose one humanities subject and two different science subjects.

(a) Complete the table to show the possible outcomes.

Answer Humanities Science

G P and C

G P and B

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[2]
Mathematics O Level P1 & P2 Topical Workbook 30

(b) Khalif chooses his subjects at random.

(i) Find the probability that he chooses Geography.

Answer ........................................... [1]

(ii) Find the probability that he chooses Physics.

Answer ........................................... [1]

(iii) Find the probability that he chooses both Religious studies and Chemistry.

Answer ........................................... [1]

28. O/N 16/P22/Q11(b)

(b) Amira has three $1 coins and two 20c coins in her purse.
She picks out coins at random, one after the other.
The coins are not replaced.

The tree diagram shows the possible outcomes and their probabilities when picking out two coins.

First coin Second coin

$1
x

3
5
$1 ro
om
2
4 20c

3 $1
So

4
2
5 20c
li

1
A

4 20c
if
As

(i) Find x.

Answer .......................................... [1]

Mathematics O Level P1 & P2 Topical Workbook 31

(ii) Find the probability that the total value of the two coins picked out is 40 cents.

Answer .......................................... [1]

(iii) Find the probability that the total value of the two coins picked out is $1.20 .

Answer .......................................... [2]

(iv) At a car park, the charge is $1.40 .

Amira picks out three coins, one after the other.

Find the probability that the total value of the three coins is $1.40 .

Answer .......................................... [2]

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Mathematics O Level P1 & P2 Topical Workbook 32

29 O/N 16/P21/Q10(b)
(b) A bag contains R red beads and B blue beads.
Two beads are chosen, at random, without replacement.
The tree diagram shows the possible outcomes and their probabilities.

First bead Second bead

11 red
19

3 red
5
8
19 blue

12 red
19
2
5 blue

7
19 blue

(i) Calculate the probability that both beads are red.

Answer .......................................... [1]

(ii) Calculate the probability that the two beads are different colours.

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Answer .......................................... [2]
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(iii) What is the value of R?

Answer .......................................... [1]

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(iv) Of the red beads, half have a yellow spot.

Calculate the probability that, of the two chosen beads, neither has a yellow spot.
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Answer .......................................... [2]

Mathematics O Level P1 & P2 Topical Workbook 33

30. M/J 15/P22/Q11(a)

(a) Some people were asked which continent they visited on their last holiday.
The results are shown in the table below.

Continent Number of people

North America (NA) 7
Europe (E) 15
Asia (A) 8

(i) Find the probability that one of these people, chosen at random, visited North America.

Answer ............................................ [1]

(ii) Find the probability that one of these people, chosen at random, did not go to Asia.
Give your answer as a fraction in its lowest terms.

Answer ............................................ [1]

(iii) Two of these people are chosen at random.

The tree diagram opposite shows the possible outcomes and some of their probabilities.

(a) Complete the tree diagram. [2]

(b) What is the probability that the two people went to the same continent?

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Answer ............................................ [2]

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Mathematics O Level P1 & P2 Topical Workbook 34

First Person Second Person

NA
.......

.......
NA E

....... A
.......

NA
.......
15
30 .......
E E

....... A

8
NA
30 .......

A .......
E

....... A

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