GCSE Mathematics (9-1)

23.4 Combined events and tree diagrams — 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.

  1. What is 12×12\frac12\times\frac12?
  2. List the outcomes of two coin tosses.
Check
  1. 14\frac14. 2. HH, HT, TH, TT.

Practise with help

1. A fair coin is tossed twice. Find the probability of exactly two tails.

Hint

List the four equally likely outcomes. Which one has two tails?

Full working

Only TT has two tails. Its probability is 12×12=14\frac12\times\frac12=\frac14.

2. A fair die is rolled twice. Find the probability of two numbers less than 3.

Hint

The results less than 3 are 1 and 2. The two rolls are independent.

Full working

For each roll the probability is 26=13\frac26=\frac13. Multiply: 13×13=19\frac13\times\frac13=\frac19.

3. A fair coin is tossed twice. Find the probability of at least one head.

Hint

Find the probability of no heads, then subtract it from 1.

Full working

Use the complement: 1−P(no heads)=1−14=341-P(\text{no heads})=1-\frac14=\frac34.

4. A bag contains 4 red and 3 blue counters. One counter is drawn and not replaced. Find the probability of red then blue.

Hint

After a red counter is removed, count the blue counters and the total counters left.

Full working

The probabilities are 47\frac47 for red first and 36\frac36 for blue next. Multiply: 47×36=1242=27\frac47\times\frac36=\frac{12}{42}=\frac27.

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