23.1 The probability scale and equally likely outcomes — Practise with help
Work each question first. Open the hint if you need it, then reveal the working to check.
Warm-up: remember
Try these from memory before opening the answers.
- Work out .
- A bag has 3 red counters and 2 blue counters. How many counters are there?
Check
- . 2. 5 counters.
Practise with help
1. A fair four-sided spinner has outcomes 1, 2, 3 and 4. Find the probability of an even number.
Hint
Count matching outcomes and divide by all equally likely outcomes.
Full working
Even outcomes are 2 and 4, so .
2. A fair six-sided die is rolled. Find the probability of a result less than 3.
Hint
List the die results that meet the condition, then divide by six.
Full working
The matching results are 1 and 2, so the probability is .
3. A bag has 2 white and 6 black counters. Find the probability of not choosing black.
Hint
Find the total number of counters. The white counters are the outcomes that are not black.
Full working
Not black means white, so .
4. A fair six-sided die is rolled 60 times. Find the expected number of fives. Then compare the expected relative frequency with the theoretical probability of a five.
Hint
Find the probability of a five first. Multiply it by 60 for the expected count.
Full working
The probability of a five is . The expected number is . The expected relative frequency is , which matches the theoretical probability. An actual set of 60 rolls may differ.