5 / 6 MARKS

SAMPLE SPACE
An experiment is a process or an operation
with an outcomes.

Toss a balanced dice once and observe
its uppermost face.
PROBABILITY OF AN EVENT
When toss the coin, we can get only
2 results:

1. Head
2. Tail
The set of all possible outcomes of an
experiment is called the sample space.
It usually denoted by S.



Example 1:

En. Adam has a fruit stall that sells bananas, apples,
watermelons, papayas and durians. Students of class
5M are asked to select their favorite fruit from the
fruits at En. Adams stall.

Solution:
S = { banana, apple, watermelon, papaya, durian}

Example 2:

A month is randomly selected from a
year. Describe the sample space of
this experiment by using set notation.


TOPIC MENU
Solution:
S= { January, February, March, April, May,
June, July, August, September, October,
November, December}

S space, sample in the outcomes possible of number
A event for outcomes of number
P(A) =
P(A) = 1
Event A is sure to happen
P(A) = 0
Event A will not to happen
EXAMPLE 3 :
2 13 5 6 10 15
The above diagram shows six number cards in a box. A
card is picked at random from the box, find the
probability of obtaining
a) A prime number
b) A whole number
c) A multiple of 7
d) A number between 3 and 7
Solution:
Sample space , S = { 2, 5, 6, 10, 13, 15}
n (S) = 6
a) A prime number
(S) n
(A) n
P(A) =
A = { 2, 5,13}
n (A) = 3
6
3
P(A) =
2
1
=
b) A whole number
(S) n
(A) n
P(A) =
A = { 2, 5, 6, 10, 13, 15}
n (A) = 6
6
6
P(A) =
1 =
c) A multiple of 7 d) A number between 3
and 7
(S) n
(A) n
P(A) =
A = { }
n (A) = 0
6
0
P(A) =
0 =
Sample space ,
S = { 2, 5, 6, 10, 13, 15}
n (S) = 6
A = { 5, 6 }
n (A) = 2
(S) n
(A) n
P(A) =
6
2
P(A) =
3
1
=
PROBABILITY OF A COMBINED EVENT
Calculating the probability of a combined event by listing
the outcomes.
The steps to calculate the probability of the combined events of
a) A or B b) A and B
Step 1 : List out all outcomes of the sample spaces.
Step 2 : List out all outcomes of the combined events.
a) A or B
Determine n (A B)
a) A and B
Determine n (A B)
Step 3 : Calculate.
) (
) (
S n
B A n
=
) ( B A P =
) (
) (
S n
B A n
=
) ( B A P =
PROBABILITY OF A COMBINED EVENT
Calculating the probability of a combined event involving
the sum of probability
A B
S
P (AB) = P(A) + P(B)
A B
S
P (AB) = P(A) + P(B) P(A B)
Example 4 (SPM 2007)
The diagram shows ten labelled cards in two boxes.
A 2 B C D G 3 E 4 F
A card is picked at random from each of the box.
By listing the outcomes, find the probability that
a) Both cards are labelled with a number. [ 2 marks ]
b) One card is labeled with a number and the other is labelled
with a letter. [ 2 marks ]

Solution:
Step 1: List all the sample space
S = {
A 2 B C
D G 3 E 4 F
(A,3), (A,E), (A,F), (A,G), (A,4), (A,D),
(2,3), (2,E), (2,F), (2,G), (2,4), (2,D),
(B,3), (B,E), (B,F), (B,G), (B,4), (B,D),
(C,3), (C,E), (C,F), (C,G), (C,4), (C,D),
1 mark
}
}
a) Both cards are labelled with a number. [ 2 marks ]
S = { (A,3), (A,E),
(A,F), (A,G), (A,4), (A,D),
(2,E),
(2,F), (2,G), (2,4), (2,D),
(B,3), (B,E),
(B,F), (B,G), (B,4), (B,D),
(C,3), (C,E),
(C,F), (C,G), (C,4), (C,D),
(2,3),
(2,3) (2,4),
={ }
24
2
=
12
1
=
A 2 B C
Method II
4
1
=
D G 3 E 4 F
6
2
=
4
1
=
6
2

12
1
=
S = { (A,3), (A,E),
(A,F), (A,G), (A,4), (A,D),
(2,E),
(2,F), (2,G), (2,4), (2,D),
(B,3), (B,E),
(B,F), (B,G), (B,4), (B,D),
(C,3), (C,E),
(C,F), (C,G), (C,4), (C,D),
(2,3),
b) One card is labeled with a number and the other is labelled
with a letter. [ 3 marks ]

(2,G),
(A,3)
,
(A,4), (2,E)
,
(2,F), (2,D),
(B,3),
(B,4),
(C,3),
(C,4),
={
}
24
10
=
12
5
= A 2 B C
Method II
D G 3 E 4 F
6
4
4
1
=
+
6
2
4
3

12
5
=
}
Example 5 (SPM 2008)
The diagram shows three numbered cards in box P and
two cards in box Q.
2 3 6 Y R
A card is picked at random from box P and then a card is
picked at random from box Q
By listing the outcomes, find the probability that
a) A card with an even number and the card labelled Y are
picked. [ 2 marks ]
b) a card with a number which is multiple of 3 or the card
labelled R are picked. [ 3 marks ]

Solution:
Step 1: List all the sample space
2 3 6 Y R
S = {
(2, Y), (2, R), (3, Y), (3, R), (6, Y), (6, R)
}
a) A card with an even number and the card labelled Y are picked.
[ 2 marks ]
(2, Y), (6, Y),
=
6
2
=
3
2
=
Method II
2 3 6
Y R
3
1
=
2
1
=
2
1
3
2
=
3
1
=
S = {
(2, Y), (2, R), (3, Y), (3, R), (6, Y), (6, R)
}
b) a card with a number which is multiple of 3 or
the card labelled R are picked. [ 3 marks ]

) (
) (
S n
B A n
=
) ( or ) ( B P A P =
Event A
Event B
) ( B A P =
6
5
=
Method II
2 3 6 Y R
3
2
=
2
1
=
) ( or ) ( B P A P =
) ( B A P =
) ( ) ( ) ( B A P B P A P + =
3
2
= +
2
1

3
2
x
2
1
3
1
6
3 4

+
=
6
5
=
Example 6 (SPM 2009)
The diagram shows five cards labelled with letter.
S M I L E
All these cards are put into a box. A two-letter code is to be
formed by using any of these cards. Two cards are picked at
random, one after another, without replacement
a) List all the sample space [ 2 marks ]
b) List all the outcomes of the events and find the probability
that
i. The code begins with letter M,
ii. The code consists of two vowels or two consonents.
[ 4 marks ]

Solution:
S = { ( ),
( ),
( ),
( ),
( ),
( ),
( ),
( ),
( ),
( ),
( ),
( ),
( ),
( ),
( ),
( ),
( ),
( ),
( ),
( ),
M
S,
M,
L,
E,
I,
S,
M,
L,
E,
I,
S,
M,
L,
E,
I,
S,
M,
L,
E,
I,
I L E
S
S
S
S
I
M
M
M
M
I L
L E
L E
E
}
a) List all the sample space [ 2 marks ]
b) List all the outcomes of the events and find the probability
that
i. The code begins with letter M [ 4 marks ]

S = { ( ),
( ),
( ),
( ),
( ),
( ),
( ),
( ),
( ),
( ),
( ),
( ),
( ),
( ),
( ),
( ),
( ),
( ),
( ),
( ),
M
S,
M,
L,
E,
I,
S,
M,
L,
E,
I,
S,
M,
L,
E,
I,
S,
M,
L,
E,
I,
I L E
S
S
S
S
I
M
M
M
I
M M
L E
L E
E
}
20
4
=
5
1
=
ii. The code consists of two vowels or two consonents.
S = { ( ),
( ),
( ),
( ),
( ),
( ),
( ),
( ),
( ),
( ),
( ),
( ),
( ),
( ),
( ),
( ),
( ),
( ),
( ),
( ),
M
S,
M,
L,
E,
I,
S,
M,
L,
E,
I,
S,
M,
L,
E,
I,
S,
M,
L,
E,
I,
I L E
S
S
S
S
I
M
M
M
I
I M
L E
L E
E
}
20
8
=
5
2
=
Method II
S M I L E
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=
4
2
5
3
+
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4
1
5
2
5
2
=