Categories
Statistics and Probability

Problems Based on Selection of Balls

Science > Mathematics > Statistics and Probability > Probability > Problems Based on Selection of Balls

In the last few articles, we have seen to solve problems based on tossing of coins, throwing dice, and selecting numbered cards. In this article, we shall study the problems to find the probability involving the draw of a single ball from a collection of identical but different coloured balls. e.g. An urn contains 9 red, 7 white, and 4 black balls.  All balls are identical. If one ball is drawn at random from the urn. Find the probability that of getting a red ball.

getting a red ball

Problems based on the Draw of a Single Ball:

Example – 01:

An urn contains 9 red, 7 white, and 4 black balls.  All balls are identical. If one ball is drawn at random from the urn. Find the probability that

Solution:

9 R7W4 B

Total = 9 + 7 + 4 = 20

There are 20 balls in the urn

one ball out of 20 can be drawn by 20Cways

Hence n(S) = 20C1 = 20

a) a red ball

Let A be the event of getting a red ball

There are 9 red balls in the urn

1 red ball out of 9 red balls can be drawn by 9Cways

∴ n(A) = 9C1  = 9

By the definition P(A) = n(A)/n(S) =9/20

Therefore the probability of getting a red ball is 9/20.

b) a white ball

Let B be the event of getting a white ball

There are 7 white balls in the urn

1 white ball out of 7 white balls can be drawn by 7Cways

∴ n(B) = 7C1  = 7

By the definition P(B) = n(B)/n(S) =7/20

Therefore the probability of getting a white ball is 7/20.

c) a black ball

Let C be the event of getting a black ball

There are 4 black balls in the urn

1 black ball out of 4 black balls can be drawn by 4Cways

∴ n(C) = 4C1  = 4

By the definition P(C) = n(C)/n(S) = 4/20 = 1/5

Therefore the probability of getting a black ball is 1/5.

d) not a red ball

Let D be the event of getting not a red ball

There are 7 + 4 = 11 non-red balls

1 non-red ball out of 11 non-red balls can be drawn by 11Cways

∴ n(D) = 11C1  = 11

By the definition P(D) = n(D)/n(S) = 11/20

Therefore the probability of getting not red ball is 11/20

e) not a white ball

Let E be the event of getting not a white ball

There are 9 + 4 = 13  non-white balls

1 non-white ball out of 13 non-white balls can be drawn by 13Cways

∴ n(E) = 13C1  = 13

By the definition P(E) = n(E)/n(S) = 13/20

Therefore the probability of getting not white ball is 13/20

f) not a black ball

Let F be the event of getting not a black ball

There are 9 + 7 = 16 non-black balls

1 non-black ball out of 16 non-black balls can be drawn by 16Cways

∴ n(F) = 16C1  = 16

By the definition P(F) = n(F)/n(S) = 16/20 = 4/5

Therefore the probability of getting not a black ball is 4/5.

g) a red ball or a black ball

Let G be the event of getting not a red ball

There are 9 + 4 = 13 red or black balls

1 red or a  black ball out of 13 can be drawn by 13Cways

∴ n(G) = 13C1  = 13

By the definition P(G) = n(G)/n(S) = 13/20

Therefore the probability of getting a red ball or a black ball is 13/20.

h) a red ball or a white ball

Let H be the event of getting a red ball or a white ball

There are 9 + 7 = 16 red or white balls

1 red or a  white ball out of 16 can be drawn by 16Cways

∴ n(H) = 16C1  = 16

By the definition P(H) = n(H)/n(S) = 16/20 = 4/5

Therefore the probability of getting a red ball or a white ball is 4/5.

i) a black ball or a white ball

Let J be the event of getting a black ball or a white ball

There are 4 + 7 = 11 black or white balls

1 black or a  white ball out of 11 can be drawn by 11Cways

∴ n(J) = 11C1  = 11

By the definition P(J) = n(J)/n(S) = 11/20

Therefore the probability of getting a black ball or a white ball is 11/20.

Example – 02:

An urn contains 9 red, 7 white, and 4 black balls.  All balls are identical. Two balls are drawn at random from the urn. Find the probability that

Solution:

9 R7 W4 B

Total = 9 + 7 + 4 = 20

There are 20 balls in the urn

Two balls out of 20 can be drawn by 20Cways

Hence n(S) = 20C2 = 10 x 19

a) both red balls

Let A be the event of getting both red balls

There are 9 red balls in the urn

2 red balls out of 9 red balls can be drawn by 9Cways

∴ n(A) = 9C2  = 9 x 4

By the definition P(A) = n(A)/n(S) = (9 x 4)/(10 x 19) = 18/95

Therefore the probability of getting both red balls is 18/95

b) no red ball

Let B be the event of getting no red ball

There are 7 + 4 = 11 non-red balls in the urn

2 red balls out of 11 non-red balls can be drawn by 11Cways

∴ n(B) = 11C2  = 11 x 5

By the definition P(B) = n(B)/n(S) = (11 x 5)/(10 x 19) = 11/38

Therefore the probability of getting no red ball is 11/76

c) atleast one red ball

Let C be the event of getting atleast one red ball

Hence C is the event of getting no red ball

There are 7 + 4 = 11 non-red balls in the urn

2 non-red balls out of 11 non-red balls can be drawn by 11Cways

∴ n(C) = 11C2  = 11 x 5

By the definition P(C) = n(C)/n(S) = (11 x 5)/(10 x 19) = 11/38

Now, P(C) = 1 – P(C) = 1 – 11/38 = 27/38

Therefore the probability of getting atleast one red ball is 27/38

d) exactly one red ball

Let D be the event of getting exactly one red ball i.e. one red and 1 non red ball

There are 9 red and 7 + 4 = 11 non-red balls in the urn

2 red balls out of 11 non-red balls can be drawn by 11Cways

∴ n(D) = 9C1  x  11C1  = 9  x 11

By the definition P(D) = n(D)/n(S) = (9 x 11)/(10 x 19) = 99/190

Therefore the probability of getting exactly one red ball is 99/190.

e) at most one red ball

Let E be the event of getting at most one red ball There are two possibilities

Case – 1: Getting no red ball and two non-red balls or

Case – 2: Getting 1 red ball and 1 non-red ball

There are 9 red and 7 + 4 = 11 non-red balls in the urn

∴ n(E) = 9C0  x  11C2 +  9C1  x  11C= 1 x 11 x 5 + 9 x 11 = 55 + 99 = 154

By the definition P(E) = n(E)/n(S) = 154/(10 x 19) = 77/95

Therefore the probability of getting at most one red ball is 77/95.

f) one is red and other is white

Let F be the event of getting one red and one white ball

There are 9 red and 7 white balls in the urn

∴ n(F) = 9C1  x  7C1 = 9 x 7

By the definition P(F) = n(F)/n(S) = (9 x 7)/(10 x 19) = 63/190

Therefore the probability of getting one red and other white ball is 63/190

g) one is red and other is black

Let G be the event of getting one red and one black ball

There are 9 red and 4 black balls in the urn

∴ n(G) = 9C1  x  4C1 = 9 x 4

By the definition P(G) = n(G)/n(S) = (9 x 4)/(10 x 19) = 18/95

Therefore the probability of getting one red and other black ball is 18/95

h) one is white and the other is black

Let H be the event of getting one white and one black ball

There are 7 white and 4 black balls in the urn

∴ n(H) = 7C1  x  4C1 = 7 x 4

By the definition P(H) = n(H)/n(S) = (7 x 4)/(10 x 19) = 14/95

Therefore the probability of getting one white and other black ball is 14/95.

i) both are of same colour

Let J be the event of getting balls of same colour.

i.e. both are red or both are white or both are black

There are 9 red, 7 white, and 4 black balls in the urn

∴ n(J) = 9C2  +  7C2 +  4C2 = 9 x 4 + 7 x 3 + 2 x 3 = 36 +21 + 6 = 63

By the definition P(J) = n(J)/n(S) = 63/(10 x 19) = 63/190

Therefore the probability of getting both balls of same colour is 63/190

j) both are of not of the same colour

Let K be the event of getting balls not of the same colour.

Hence K is the event of getting the balls of same colour

i.e. both are red or both are white or both are black

There are 9 red, 7 white, and 4 black balls in the urn

∴ n(K) = 9C2  +  7C2 +  4C2 = 9 x 4 + 7 x 3 + 2 x 3 = 36 +21 + 6 = 63

By the definition P(K) = n(K)/n(S) = 63/(10 x 19) = 63/190

Now, P(K) = 1 – P(K) = 1 – 63/190 = 127/190

Therefore the probability of getting both balls of not of the same colour is 127/190.

k) both are red or both are black

Let L be the event of getting both red or both black balls.

There are 9 red and 4 black balls in the urn

∴ n(L) = 9C2 +  4C2 = 9 x 4 + 2 x 3 = 36 + 6 = 42

By the definition P(L) = n(L)/n(S) = 42/(10 x 19) = 21/95

Therefore the probability of getting both red or both black balls is 21/95.

In the next article, we shall study some basic problems of probability based on the drawing of two or more balls from a collection of identical coloured balls.

For More Topics in Probability Click Here

For More Topics in Mathematics Click Here

2 replies on “Problems Based on Selection of Balls”

There’s a typo in most denominators. It’s 20×19 instead of 10×19. Thank you for the examples. Great and quick recap!

20C2 = (20!)/[(2!) x (20-2)!]
20C2 = (20!)/[(2!)x (18!]
20C2 = 20 x 19 x (18!)/[(2 x 1)x (18!)]
20C2 = 10 x 19

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *