FURTHER MATHEMATICS

PROBABILITY
Probability of event (E) is given by:
P
(E)
¿
n (E )
p o s s i b l e o u t c o m e ¿ t o t a l o u t c o m e ¿ ¿ =¿ ¿
n (T )
¿

Questions
1. In a class of 40 students, 25 are girls and 15 are boys. What is the probability that a
student selected at random is:
(a) a girl (b) a boy
2. A bag contains 8 red, 4 white and 6 blue balls, all of the same material and size. If a ball is
picked at random, what is the probability of getting
(a) a red ball (b) a white ball (c) a blue ball (d) a ball which is not white
3. A box contains 20 balls, x of which are white. If the probability of selecting a non-white
ball at random is 3/5, find the value of x.
4. A box contains 40 identical discs, some red and rest white. If a disc is drawn at random,
the probability that it is red is ¼.
(a) How many white discs were in the box?
(b) How many more red discs must be added to make p(red disc are being picked) = 1/3 ?
5. All possible arrangements of the letters of the word REARRANGE are made. If one of
these arrangements is chosen at random. What is the probability that it will end in
(a) G (b) R ?
6. A bag contains 3 red, 2 white and 4 green balls. If one is chosen at random, what is the
chance that a green ball is picked?
Sample space
The set of all possible outcomes of the experiment is called a sample space.
1. Sample space of tossing a coin is S = {H, T}
2. Sample space of tossing a coin twice is S = {HH, TH, HT, TT}
3. Sample space of tossing 3 coins is S = {HHH, THH, HTH, TTH, HHT, THT, HTT, TTT}
4. Sample of a die is S = {1,2,3,4,5,6}
5. Sample space of 2 dice = ?
Questions
1. Three fair coins are tossed once.
(a) Write down the sample space
(b) Find the probability of obtaining
i. Exactly 2 heads
ii. At least 2 heads
2. A fair die is tossed once. Find the probability that is shows:
(a) a 3 (b) an odd number (c) a number less than 4 (d) a prime number
3. A die is tossed twice. What is the probabilities of obtaining
 (a) Two 3s (b) a total of 6 (c) a total of 6 if both are odd. (d) a product of 12 (d) sum
of numbers appear on both dice is greater than 8.
4.

Mutually Exclusive events

(Addition of probability)
Two events A and B are mutually exclusive if and only A and B cannot occur simultaneously.
The following terms denotes mutually exclusive events, “or” “either” “neither” “union.”
Mutually exclusive events are also called addition of probability. For instance, the
probability of A or B means p(A) + p(B).
¿
Questions
1. A fair die is tossed once, what is the probability of scoring a
(a) 3 or 5 (b) 4 or 5 (c) neither 6 nor 1
2. A fair six-sided dice is rolled once. What is the probability of obtaining
(a) An odd number
(b) An even number greater than 2
(c) An odd number or even number greater than 2
3. A bag contains 5 red balls, 6 yellow balls and 4 white balls. A ball is picked from the bag
at random. Find the probability that the ball is:
(a) Red or white
(b) Yellow or red
(c) Not red
(d) Neither red nor yellow

Independent events
(Multiplication of probability)
If A and B are independent events, then they can occur at the same time. Independent events
can be identified by the following terms “And” “Both” “All” “Intersection.”
Independent events are also known as multiplication of probability.
Questions
1. A box contains 5 blue balls, 3 black balls and 2 red balls. A box is selected at random from
the box and then replaced. A second all is selected. Find the probability of obtaining
(a) Two red balls
(b) Two blue balls or two black balls
(c) One black ball and one red ball in that order
2. One bag contains 10 white and 5 black balls; another contains 5 white and 4 yellow balls.
One ball is drawn from each bag. Find the probability that:
(a) The two balls are of the same colour
(b) One is black and the other is yellow
3. A box A contains 3 white and 2 blue balls. Another box B contains 4 green and 5 blue
balls. A ball is picked at random from each box, find the probability that
(a) One is green and the other is white
(b) They are of the same colour (June 2000)
Probability of special cases
Let probability of success = p
Probability of failure = q
p+q=1
⇔
p
¿
1
−¿ q

o
r
¿ q
¿
1
− ¿ p

e.g. if the probability that it will rain = 1/4

probability that it will not rain = 1 – 1/4 = 3/4
Questions
1. The probability that a seed will germinate is 0.65. find the probability that a seed selected
at random will not germinate.
2. Atta and Badu are to solve a particular mathematics problem. The probability that Atta can
solve the problem is 0.6 and the probability that Badu can solve the problem is 0.8. What
is the probability that
(a) Both can solve the problem?
(b) None of them can solve the problem?
(c) Only one of them can solve the problem?
(d) At least one of them can solve the problem?
3. In a certain examination, the probabilities that Yaw, Kwao and Akwetey will pass are 1/2,
2/3, and 5/6 respectively. Find the probability that:
(a) All the three will pass
(b) Only one of them will pass
(c) None will pass
(d) At least one will pass.
4. The probability that Akrong will enter in the university is 0.8 and the probability that
Caroline will enter is 0.7. What is the probability that at least one of them will enter the
university?
5. In Premsipim Secondary School the probability that a student selected at random passes
his exams is 0.3. If two students are chosen at random find the probability that:
(a) Both will pass their exams
(b) Both will fail their exams
(c) One will fail his exams.
6. In a gambling game, the probability that Kofi will win is 5/7 and the probability that Yaw
will win is 3/5. Find the probability that:
(a) They both will win
(b) Only one of them will win.
(c) At least one will win.
7. The probabilities that Atta and Tunde will hit a target in a shooting contest are 1/6 and 1/9
respectively. Find the probability that only one of them will hit target. (SC 2023/Q15 obj)
a. 1/54 b. 13/54 C. 20/27 D. 41/54
8. The probabilities that Ali, Baba and Katty will gain admission to college are 2/3, ¾, and
4/5 respectively. Find the probability that:
(a) Only Katty and Baba will gain admission
(b) None of them will gain admission
(c) At most two of them will gain admission (SC 2018)
9. The probabilities that Kofi, Kwasi and Ama will pass a certain examination are 9/10, 4/5
and x respectively. If the probability that only one of them will pass the examination is
9/50, find the:
i. Value of x
ii. Probability that at least one of them will pass the examination. (May/June 2014)
10. The probabilities that Sani, Kalu and Tato will hit a target are 3/4, 2/5 and 1/3 respectively.
If all the three men shoot once, what is the probability that the target will the hit only
once? (Nov/Dec. 2014)
11. A bag contains 5 white, 6 red and 7 black identical balls. Two balls are drawn at random
one after the other without replacement. Find, correct to two decimal places, the
probability that
(a) The first ball is white and the second black
(b) The second ball is white (Nov. 2010)
12. A bag contains 10 identical balls of which 3 are black and the remaining brown. Two balls
are drawn at random one after the other from the bag without replacement. Find, correct
to three decimal places, the probability that both balls are of the same colour. (PC 2017)
13. A bag contains 5 blue, 4 green and 3 yellow balls. All balls are identical except for colour.
Three balls are drawn at random without replacement. Find the probability that:
i. All three balls have the same colour
ii. Two balls have the same colour (May/June 2013)
14.
 Relative frequency definition of probability

P (relative frequency of event) = f r eq ue nc yof e ve n t

t o t al f re qu enc y
Questions
1. The number of students of a Senior High school detained in hospital each day is given
below for 100 students in 2008.

No. of students at hospital 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 10 12

Frequency 4 12 20 32 18 6 4 1 2 1
Estimate the probability that:
(a) No students will be detained in the hospital.
(b) At least 5 students will be detained.
(c) The modal number will be detained
2. A survey was made with 100 families with 4 children to find the number of boys. Here are
the results.

No. of boys 0 1 2 3 4
Frequency 4 20 34 32 10
Find the probability that a family with 4 children will have:
(a) At least three boys
(b) More than two girls
(c) Four boys

Addition law of probability

P
( A ∪ B )
¿
P
( A )
+ ¿ P
( B )
− ¿ P
( A ∩ B )
¿

For mutually exclusive events, (

(
A

+
(
¿
P
∩
¿
0
¿

∪
¿
P
A
¿
⇔
P

)
P
B

B
)

( B )

For independent events, (

( ¿
P
A∩
¿
P
A
¿
P
B

¿ )
)

( ¿
B ¿)

Questions

1. Given that P(X) = 1/4, P(Y) = 1/3 and P(X Y) = 1/12. Find the value of P(X Y)
¿ ¿
2. Given that X and Y are mutually exclusive events and that P(X) = 0.4 and P(X Y) = 0.7,
¿
find P(Y).
3. Events A and B are independent. If P(A) = 0.2 and P(A B) = 0.1, find the P(B).
¿
4. If X and Y are two events such that P(X) = 0.3, P(Y) = 0.2 and P(X Y) = 0.5, determine
¿
whether or not X and Y are mutually exclusive.
5. If X and Y are two events such that P(X) = 0.31, P(Y) = 0.22 and P(X Y) = 0.52,
¿
determine whether or not X and Y are independent.
6. The events A and B are such that P(A) = 0.23, P(B) = 0.12, P(A B) = 0.34. Show that the
¿
events A and B are neither mutually exclusive nor independent.
7. Events A and C are independent. Probabilities relating to events A, B and C are as follows:
P(A) = 1/5, P(B) = 1/6, P(A C) = 1/20, P(B C) = 3/8. Evaluate P(C) and show that B
¿ ¿
and C are independent.
PERMUTATION AND COMBINATION
FACTORIAL
The product of all the integers from the number (n) down to one (1) is called a factorial and it
is written as n!
Generally,
n
!
¿
n
( n − 1 )
( n…− 2 )
…
.
.
3.2
.
1

Questions
1. Find 5!, 4! And 6!
2. Simplify
(a) 8 ! (b) 4 ! 5 ! (c) 3!−5 ! (d) (n+ 2) !
3!5 ! 4 !+ 6 ! 6 !+8 ! (n+ 1) !
10 !
3. Prove that 8!
¿
90

4. Express 9×8×7×6 in factorial notation

4×3×2×1
5. Write in factorial form
(a) 20×19×18 (b) (c) (( ¿
( n+ 1)
n
n¿+ ¿2¿)
¿ n¿+ ¿1¿)
(d) n(n−1)( n−2)
3×2×1 ( ¿ n ¿− ¿ 1 ¿ )
3×2×1
(b) Express (n−1)(n−2)(n−3)(n− 4) in factorial notation
4×3×2×1
6. Factorize
(a) 8
!
− ¿5
(¿ 7 ¿ ! ¿ )

(b) 7
!
−¿ 2
( ¿ 5 ¿ ! ¿)

(c) 8
!
+¿ 9
!

Useful formulae
n
. P r
¿
n !
( n− r ) !

a
n
d

n
.C r
¿
n !
( n− r ) ! r !

OR
n
C r
.
¿
n
.P r
r !

Questions

1. If 6
.Pn
¿
24
6
, find the value of n. [June 2011]
(¿ Pn ¿ )
.

2. If r
C
.
¿
2
, find the value of r, r > 0. [Nov. 2011]
6
3. If n+ 1
. C n− 1
¿ , find the value of n. [June 2012]
15

4. If 3 x
.
¿
C 2
, find the value of x. [June 2011] Obj.
15

5. Given that n
. P2
¿ , find n. [June 2001]
110

6. Solve the equation n+

n
1
. P3
¿
P 4
[Nov. 2002]
.

n
Pr
7. If , find the value of r. [Nov. 2006]
.
n
. Cr
¿
24

8. Given that 10
. Cr + 2
¿
10
C r
, find the value of r. [Nov. 2005]
.

9. If n+ 1
. C n− 1
¿
, find the value of n. [Nov. 2013]
28

10. If ( n−2
n
P3
.
¿
10
. P 2 )
find n. [Nov. 2009]
,

11. Find n if (

(
n

n
+
!
¿
30
1

− 1
)

)
!

12. If n
n
.

.
P

C
:

¿
5

4
, find the value of n. [PC 2016]
24

13. If find the value of n. [2002]

n
.C 8
:
6
. C n − 1
¿
56
:
15
,

14. If
(a) 21
.
21
.C r
¿
Cr + 3
find r.C 6 [Hint n
.
n
.C r
¿
C n− r
, ¿
n
. P2

(b) Solve the equation n

. C3
¿
1
4

(c) Show that 7

¿
6
. C 2

+ ¿ 6.C 3 [June 2003]

.C 4

PERMUTATIONS
Permutation is the arrangement of objects in which the order matters.
1. The number of arrangements of n different objects in a line (row).
The number of different ways of arranging n different objects is:
n
!
¿
n
( n − 1 )
( n…− 2 )
3
¿
2
¿
1

OR
n
. P n
¿
n
!
¿
n
( n − 1 )
( n
…
− 2 )
3
¿
2
¿
1

Questions
1. In how many ways can eight (8) students be arranged in a row?
2. In how many ways can five different books be arranged in order?
3. In how many ways can seven different objects be placed in a line?
4. Find the number of possible permutations of the letters of the word NOTABLE.
5. In how many ways can the letters in the word ‘FACTORIAL’ be arranged in a row?
6. In how many ways can the letters in the word ‘PERM’ be arranged in a row?

2. Arrangements of n different objects, taken r at a time.

The number of possible arrangements of n different objects, taken r at a tie is
 n
Pr
.
¿
n !
( n−r ) !

Questions
1. In how many ways can 9 different objects be arranged taking 4 at a time.
2. Find the total number of different arrangements using any three letters of the word
‘CHEMISTRY’
3. Find the number of three-figure integers that can be formed from the numbers 3,4,5,6 and
7 if no number is used twice.
4. How many four digits number can be formed using the digits 1,2,3,4,5 if no digit being
repeated.
5. There are six seats in a railway carriage. In how many different ways can four people
occupy them.
6. An examination paper has six questions but only four are to be answered. In how many
different ways can the answers be arranged.
7.
3. Arrangements including identical (similar) objects