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Probability questions - 28/01/2003


wirelessnz

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Could some one explain how to do the following Prob questions. Thanks.

 

 

1. From a box containing 10 cards numbered 1, 2, 3, ...., 10, four

cards are drawn. find the probability that their sum will be even (a)

id the cards are drawn together, (b) if each card drawn is replaced

before the next is drawn.

 

2. A and B having equal skill, are playing a game for three points.

After A has won 2 points and B has won 1 point, what is the

probability that A will win the game?

 

3. One bag contains 3 white and 2 black balls, and another contains 2

white and 3 black balls. A ball is drawn from the second bag and

placed in the first, then a ball is drawn from the first ball and

placed in the second. when the pair of operation is repeated, what is

the probability that the first bag will contain 5 white balls?

 

4. Three bags contain respectively 2 white and 3 black ball, 3 white

and 3 black balls, 6 white and 2 black balls. Two bags are selected

and a ball is drawn from each. Find the probability (a) that both

balls are white, (b) that both balls are of the same color.

 

5. If four trials are made in problem 4, find the probability (a)

that the first two will result in pairs of white balls and the other

two in pairs of black balls, (b) that a pair of black balls will be

obtained at least three times.

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My asnwers for question 1 are 13/25 and19/37 and for question 2 3/4. If my answers are correct let me know to provide explanation for all of the questions.

 

P.S. Where did you get these questions? No 3,4,5 are not likely to be from GMAT because solving them requires definitely more than 1,5 minutes.

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Hello Lasha,

 

The ans are: 1. (a)11/21, (b)1/2

2. 3/4

3. 1/225

4. (a) 29/72, (b)19/36

5. (a) 841/331776, (b)125/36864

 

I got them from another GMAT forum. Only ans were provided with no explanation. So I would be grateful for your explanation as you seem to understand these kind of questions very well. Thank you.

 

Originally posted by Lasha

 

My asnwers for question 1 are 13/25 and19/37 and for question 2 3/4. If my answers are correct let me know to provide explanation for all of the questions.

 

P.S. Where did you get these questions? No 3,4,5 are not likely to be from GMAT because solving them requires definitely more than 1,5 minutes.

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Originally posted by Lasha

 

P.S. Where did you get these questions? No 3,4,5 are not likely to be from GMAT because solving them requires definitely more than 1,5 minutes.

If you're getting a high score on the Quant, you will run into some questions that take five or so minutes to complete.
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3. In first trial a white ball is transfered into a first bag therefore p(2-1) = 2/5

 

now the number of balls in each bag has changed, Therefore probability of transfering a black ball from bag 1 to bag 2 is 2/6

 

similarly, when we again transfer a white ball from bag 2 p`(2-1) = 1/5 {we have 1white and 4 black balls}

 

p`(1-2) = 1/6 {black goes into second box}

 

therefore total probability is 2/5 * 2/6 *1/5 *1/6 = 1/225

 

 

-----

5. what is meant by 4 trails ??? how can we have 4 trails in this case ?

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1) A)There are three possible ways to have the sum of four integers even.

ev+ev+ev+ev, odd+odd+odd+odd, and 2odd+2ev

From 1,2,3....10 we have 5even and 5odd numbers. We can have C(5)4=5 combinations of even integers. The same is true for odd integers. As to 2odd and 2even C(5)2 x C(5)4=100. So if we sum up 5+5+100=110.

There are C(10)4=210 total 4-integer combinations, so the probability that their sum will be even is 110/210=11/21

B) We have the same combinations here ev+ev+ev+ev, odd+odd+odd+odd, and 2odd+2ev. For only-even combination the probability is 1/2x1/2x1/2x1/2=1/16. The same goes for only-odd combination. For 2-even-2-odd combination teh thing is more complicated. when picking first two cards we have ev-ve, odd-odd,odd-ev or ev-odd possible outcomes. Now we must treat them seperately. The probability up to this point(for the first two draws) is 1/4 for each. For ev-ev(odd-odd) we need odd(ev) as a third draw and again odd(ev) for the fourth draw so the probability becomes 1/4x1/2x1/2=1/16. In case of odd-ev(ev-odd) third outcome does not matter so we have 1/4x1x1/2=1/8So if we sum up 1/16+1/16+1/8+1/8=3/8 now we must sum up all-even all-odd and 2-odd-2-even probabilities 1/16+1/16+3/8=1/2

2) The probabilty that B wins is 1/2x1/2=1/4 1-1/4=3/4 the probability that A wins.

3) Thanks to pankajagg.

4) A) 2w 3b, 3w 3b, 6w 2b we have 3 ways to choose 2 bags out of three 1-2,1-3,2-3. We have to calculate the probabilty of picking white-white combination for each case and sum up.

1-2 bags---2/5x1/2=1/5

1-3 bags---2/5x6/8=3/10

2-3 bags---1/2x6/8=3/8 (1/5+3/10+3/8)x1/3 (I multiplied the sum on 1/3 because there is 1/3 probability of choosing 2bags out of three.) =7/24 My solution may be wrong

B) You do the same for black-black combinations and then sum up white-white and black-black probabilities.

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Hi Lasha - my question is to you.

 

I am a bit confused. Why in the second test you are finding the probability of B winning first and then subtract that from 1? In what cases that is the way of solving this kind of problems?

Could you explain me?

Thanks

Ulviya

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Hi Ulviya. There are two ways to solve question 2.

1) The way I did. You find probability that B wins(that means that A looses) and subtruct it from 1(the probability that A wins + the probabilty that B wins). To be honest, however, the question is little bit inacurate since it does not rule out ties.

2) The second way. The probability that A wins the next game is 1/2 but even in case if he does not he still has a chance because the overall score between A and B becomes 2-2. So in order for A to become a winner he should win either the next or after-the-next game. The probability of wining the next game is 1/2 and after-the-next game 1/2x1/2=1/4. If we sum up 1/2+1/4=3/4 note that this way is little longer.

 

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