An unbiased coin is tossed. If the result is head, a pair of unbiased dice is rolled and the number obtained by adding the number on the two faces are noted. If the result is a tail, a card from a well-shuffled pack of 11 cards numbered 2, 3, 4...., 12 is picked & the number on the card is noted. What is the probability that the number noted is 7 or 8?
An unbiased coin is tossed. If the result is head, a pair of unbiased dice is rolled and the number obtained by adding the number on the two faces are noted. If the result is a tail, a card from a well-shuffled pack of 11 cards numbered 2, 3, 4...., 12 is picked & the number on the card is noted. What is the probability that the number noted is 7 or 8? Correct Answer 193/792
Calculation:
⇒ Let us define the events
⇒ A : head appears.
⇒ B : Tail appears
⇒ C : 7 or 8 is noted.
⇒ We have to find the probability of C i.e. P (C)
⇒ P(C) = P(A) P (C/A) + P(B) P(C/B)
⇒ Now we calculate each of the constituents one by one
⇒ P(A) = probability of appearing head = 1/2
⇒ P(C/A) = Probability that event C takes place i.e. 7 or 8 being noted when head has already appeared. (If something has already happened then it becomes certain, i.e. now it is certain that head has appeared we have to certainly roll a pair of unbiased dice).
⇒11/36 (since (6, 1) (1, 6) (5, 2) (2, 5) (3, 4) (4, 3) (6, 2) (2, 6) (3, 5) (5, 3) (4, 4) i.e. 11 favourable cases and of course 6 × 6 = 36 total number of cases)
⇒ Similarly, P(B) = 1/2
⇒ P(B/C) = 2/11 (Two favourable cases (7 and 8) and 11 total number of cases).
⇒ Hence, P(C) = 1/2 × 11/36 + 1/2 × 2/11 = 193/792