PROBABILITY (keberangkalian)

Sample space of an experiment

A sample space is the set of all the possible outcomes of an experiment. It is usually denoted by the
symbol S and written in the set notation .
For example, when a fair dice is rolled, the possible outcomes are 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6. Therefore S =
.
Example 1
Each letter of word BIG is written on separate cards. The cards are then placed into a box. A card is
randomly selected from the box. Describe the sample space of this experiment.
Solution
Sample space, S =
Number of outcomes of an event
An event is an outcome or a set of outcomes. It is a subset of the sample space.
For example, when a fair dice is rolled, we are interested in an event of getting an even number.
By representing the event of getting an even number by A and the number of outcomes of A by n(A),
then
A =
n(A) = 3
Example 2
A letter is randomly selected from the word INFORM. Determine the number of possible outcomes
of the event that the letter selected is a
a) Consonant
b) Vowel
Solution
S =
a) Let C = event that a consonant is selected
C =
Therefore , n(C) = 4
b) Let V = event that a consonant is selected
V =
Therefore, n(V) = 2

Exercise 1
1. Describe the sample space of each of the following experiments.
The gender of a student selected at random from a class
a) A fair coin is tosses
b) A fair dice is rolled
c) A letter is chosen at random from word F0RUM.

2. PROBLEMATIC
All letters in word above is written on cards. The cards are placed in a box and a card is picked at
random from the box. Determine the number of possible outcomes for the event that the card
picked is
a) A vowel
b) A consonant

3. A number is chosen at random from the set of numbers . Determine the
number of possible outcomes for the event that the number chosen is
a) An odd number
b) An even number
c) A factor of 12
d) A number that is perfect square

Probability of an event
The probability of an event is a measure of the likelihood that the event will occur.
If A represent an event that is likely to occur and S represent the sample space of all possible
outcomes, then the probability of event A occurring is
P(A) =

Where n(A) = number of outcomes of event A
N(S) = number of outcomes of the sample space S.
This is called the classical probability of event A and can only be applied when all the outcomes of
the experiment are equally likely.
Note that 0 P(A) 1
a) P(A) = 1 means that the event is certain to occur.
b) P(A) = 0 means that event A will not occur.

Example 3
A box contains 25 units of black pen and 15 units of red pen. If a pen is picked from the box, find the
probability that the pen picked is a red pen.
Solution
Let A be the even that a red pen is picked
n(A) = 15
n(S) = 25 + 15
= 40
P(A) =

Exercise 2
1. A basket contains 60 apples and 6 of them are rotten. An apple is picked at random from the
basket. What is the probability that the apple picked is not rotten?

2. A bag contains 2 pieces of one ringgit note, 3 pieces of five ringgit note, 4 pieces of ten ringgit
note and 1 piece of fifty ringgit note. One piece of the note is picked at random from the bag.
Find the probability that the note picked is
a) More than RM5
b) Not more than RM10

3. A fair dice is rolled. Find the probability of obtaining
a) A number that is greater than 2
b) An odd number

Probability of two events
The probability of an event occurring can be determined by finding the union() sets A and B, that is
(AB).
P(AB) =

The probability of events A and B occurring at the same time can be determined by finding the
intersection() of set A and B that is (AB).
P(AB) =

If set A and set B has common elements, then the probability that event A or B occurring can be
determined using the formula.
P(AB) = P(A) + P(B) - P(AB)
Example 5
A box contains 5 yellow cards, 3 blue cards and 2 red cards. A card is picked at random from the box.
Find the probability of picking either yellow or red cards.
Solution
Sample space, S = all the 10 coloured cards
Thus, n(S) = 10
Let A = event of picking a yellow card
B = event of picking a red card
Hence n(A) = 5, n(B) = 2 and n(
P

Exeicise
bag contains gieen maibles yellow maibles anu puiple maibles maible is chosen
at ianuom fiom the bag Finu the piobability that the maible chosen is
a Eithei gieen oi yellow
b Eithei puiple oi yellow

numbei is chosen at ianuom fiom a set of numbeis fiom to Finu the piobability of
choosing
a n ouu numbei that is uivisible by
b n even numbei that is gieatei than
c) multiple of anu

3. In class of 40 students, 36 of them pass physics, 30 of them pass additional math and 28 of them
pass both of the subjects. If a student is selected at random from the class, find the probability
that the selected student
a) Passes either physics or additional math
b) Fail both of the subject

4. In a group of 30 children, 18 of them like vanilla flavoured ice cream, 12 of them like chocolate
flavoured ice cream and 6 of them like both. A child is chosen randomly from the group. Find the
probability that the child chosen like ice cream of
a) Both the flavour
b) Either vanilla or chocolate flavour