Q.A and B are events such that P(A)=0.4, P(B)=0.3 and P(A∪B)=0.5. Then P(B′∩A) equals
(A) 32
(B) 21
(C) 103
(D) 51
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🔒 Start your 14-day free trial to unlock the full solution →Concept understanding — Probability Complement Rule
The Probability Complement Rule
Every event A splits the sample space in two: outcomes where A happens, and outcomes where it does not. The second group is the complement of A, written A′ (also Ac or Aˉ). Because exactly one of the two must occur, their probabilities together fill the whole space:
P(A)+P(A′)=1⟹P(A′)=1−P(A).
That is the complement rule: the probability that A does not happen is 1 minus the probability that it does.
Why It Holds
A and A′ are mutually exclusive (no outcome lies in both) and exhaustive (together they are the entire sample space S, with P(S)=1). So P(A)+P(A′)=P(S)=1, and rearranging gives the rule.
A Simple Example
For a fair die, P(six)=61, so P(not six)=1−61=65.
Why It Is So Useful: the "At Least One" Trick
Counting "at least one" directly often means adding many separate cases, while its complement, "none," is a single easy case. For instance, the probability of at least one head in three tosses of a fair coin:
P(at least one head)=1−P(no heads)=1−(21)3=1−81=87.
Computing "no heads" once is far quicker than summing the one-head, two-head and three-head cases separately. …
Concept: Probability Complement Rule and set decomposition.
We need P(B′∩A) — the part of A that lies outside B.
Step 1: Use the addition rule:
P(A∪B)=P(A)+P(B)−P(A∩B)
0.5=0.4+0.3−P(A∩B)
So P(A∩B)=0.2.
Step 2: Decompose A into the part inside B and the part outside B:
P(A)=P(A∩B)+P(A∩B′) …
The key idea is to use the complement rule and the inclusion-exclusion principle to find P(A∩B), then subtract it from P(A) to get P(B′∩A). The final value is 0.2, which corresponds to option (D) 51.
We are given three probabilities: P(A)=0.4, P(B)=0.3, and P(A∪B)=0.5. The question asks for P(B′∩A) — the probability that event A occurs and event B does not occur. This is the part of A that lies outside B.
Think of a Venn diagram. The event A is split into two disjoint parts: the part inside B (i.e., A∩B) and the part outside B (i.e., A∩B′). So:
P(A)=P(A∩B)+P(A∩B′)
If we can find P(A∩B), we can subtract it from P(A) to get the desired P(A∩B′).
How do we find P(A∩B)? Use the inclusion-exclusion principle, which relates the union of two events to their individual probabilities and their intersection:
P(A∪B)=P(A)+P(B)−P(A∩B)
This is a central formula for any two events. Rearranging it gives:
P(A∩B)=P(A)+P(B)−P(A∪B)
Now plug in the given numbers:
- Find P(A∩B)
P(A∩B)=0.4+0.3−0.5=0.2
- Use the partition of A Since A=(A∩B)∪(A∩B′) and these two sets are disjoint, we have:
P(A)=P(A∩B)+P(A∩B′)
Substitute P(A)=0.4 and P(A∩B)=0.2: …
Method: Splitting an event into "inside" and "outside" another
Use this to find P(A∩B′) — the part of A lying outside B — from marginal and union data.
Steps
Step 1: Recover the overlap from the addition rule.
P(A∩B)=P(A)+P(B)−P(A∪B).
Step 2: Partition A by whether B occurs.
Since A=(A∩B)∪(A∩B′) and these two pieces are disjoint,
P(A)=P(A∩B)+P(A∩B′).
Step 3: Solve for the piece you want. …
Common Mistakes
Mistake 1: Estimating P(B′∩A) as P(A)−P(B).
Why it's wrong: it must be P(A) minus the part of A inside B, i.e. P(A)−P(A∩B), not P(A)−P(B). Correct approach: find P(A∩B) from the addition rule first, then subtract.
Mistake 2: Skipping the intersection step. …
Showing the 12 most recent of 18 on this concept.
- AP EAPCET 2022Set eng-2022-07-04-AN1 markMCQQ.For two events A and B, a true statement among the following is (A) P(Aˉ∪Bˉ)=1−P(A)P(AB) (B) P(Aˉ∪Bˉ)=1−P(A∪B) (C) P(Aˉ∪Bˉ)=P(A∪B) (D) P(Aˉ∪Bˉ)=P(Aˉ)+P(Bˉ)
›Reveal solutionSolution
De Morgan's law gives P(Aˉ∪Bˉ)=1−P(A∩B), and since P(A∩B)=P(A)P(B∣A) always (definition of conditional probability), option (A) is the universally true statement.
Concept and Intuition
Aˉ∪Bˉ is the complement of A∩B (De Morgan's law: A∩B=Aˉ∪Bˉ). So P(Aˉ∪Bˉ)=1−P(A∩B) always holds, regardless of independence. The multiplication rule P(A∩B)=P(A)P(B∣A) is also always true by definition of conditional probability.
Step-by-Step Solution
- By De Morgan's law: Aˉ∪Bˉ=A∩B, so P(Aˉ∪Bˉ)=1−P(A∩B).
- By definition of conditional probability, P(B∣A)=P(A)P(A∩B), so P(A∩B)=P(A)P(B∣A).
- Substituting: P(Aˉ∪Bˉ)=1−P(A)P(B/A) — this is option (A), and it holds for ANY events A, B. …
- AP EAPCET 2024Set eng-2024-05-23-FN1 markMCQQ.The probability that A speaks truth is 75% and the probability that B speaks truth is 80%. The probability that they contradict each other when asked to speak on a fact is (A) 203 (B) 204 (C) 207 (D) 205
›Reveal solutionSolution
"Contradiction" means exactly one of A, B tells the truth; summing the two mutually exclusive cases gives 207.
Concept and Intuition
A and B "contradict" each other exactly when one speaks truth and the other lies (if both tell the truth or both lie, they'd agree, not contradict). These are two independent, mutually exclusive scenarios whose probabilities add.
Step-by-Step Solution
- P(A true)=0.75, so P(A false)=0.25.
- P(B true)=0.80, so P(B false)=0.20.
- Contradiction case 1: A true, B false: 0.75×0.20=0.15.
- Contradiction case 2: A false, B true: 0.25×0.80=0.20. …
- AP EAPCET 2025Set eng-2025-05-27-FN1 markMCQQ.Two students appeared simultaneously for an entrance exam. If the probability that the first student gets qualified in the exam is 41 and the probability that the second student gets qualified in the same exam is 52, then the probability that atleast one of them gets qualified in that exam is (A) 101 (B) 207 (C) 106 (D) 2011
›Reveal solutionSolution
This tests the complement rule for "at least one" probability with two independent events. The probability at least one student qualifies is 2011.
Concept and Intuition
When asked for P(at least one of several independent events occurs), it is almost always easiest to compute the complement — the probability that none occur — and subtract from 1, since "none occur" for independent events is just the product of each event's complement probability.
Step-by-Step Solution
- P(student 1 qualifies)=41⇒P(student 1 fails)=43.
- P(student 2 qualifies)=52⇒P(student 2 fails)=53.
- Assuming independence, P(neither qualifies)=43×53=209. …
- AP EAPCET 2022Set eng-2022-07-07-AN1 markMCQQ.A bag contains 3 white, 2 blue and 5 red balls. One ball is drawn at random from this bag. Then, the probability that the ball drawn is not red is (A) 3/10 (B) 1/5 (C) 1/2 (D) 4/5
›Reveal solutionSolution
"Not red" simply means white or blue; count those and divide by the total.
Concept and Intuition
For equally likely outcomes, probability is favourable outcomes over total outcomes — here "not red" is the complement of "red" within the same sample space.
Step-by-Step Solution
- Total balls =3 white+2 blue+5 red=10.
- Not-red balls =3+2=5.
- P(not red)=105=21.
Common Mistakes …
- AP EAPCET 2024Set eng-2024-05-20-AN1 markMCQQ.Two natural numbers are chosen at random from 1 to 100 and are multiplied. If A is the event that the product is an even number and B is the event that the product is divisible by 4, then P(A∩Bˉ)= (A) 19825 (B) 19849 (C) 9925 (D) 9950
›Reveal solutionSolution
Split 1–100 by 2-adic valuation (odd / ≡2mod4 / divisible by 4); the event 'even but not divisible by 4' happens only for an odd–(≡2mod4) pair. Probability is 25/99.
Concept and Intuition
Whether a product of two numbers is divisible by 4 depends on the total power of 2 across both factors. Splitting the range into three classes by how many factors of 2 each number contributes (0, exactly 1, or ≥2) turns this into simple counting.
Step-by-Step Solution
- Among 1–100: odd numbers (0 factors of 2) — 50 of them. Numbers ≡2(mod4) (exactly 1 factor of 2, e.g. 2,6,10,...,98) — 25 of them. Numbers divisible by 4 (at least 2 factors of 2) — 25 of them.
- Two distinct numbers are chosen (without replacement) from 1–100; total ways =(2100)=4950.
- Event A∩Bˉ = product is even AND not divisible by 4, i.e. the total power of 2 across the two numbers is exactly 1.
- This happens only when one number is odd (0 power) and the other is ≡2(mod4) (exactly 1 power) — any other combination gives total power 0 (both odd, not in A) or ≥2 (one or both contribute ≥1 in a way that sums to ≥2, landing in B). …
- AP EAPCET 2021Set eng-2021-08-23-AN1 markMCQQ.The probability for a contractor to get a road contract is 92 and to get a building contract is 95. if the probability to get both the contract is 61 then what is the probability to get neither of these two contracts? (A) 97 (B) 94 (C) 187 (D) 184
›Reveal solutionSolution
This tests the addition rule for probability and the complement rule. The answer is 187.
Concept and Intuition
"Neither" is the complement of "at least one", i.e. 1−P(A∪B). First find P(A∪B) using the inclusion-exclusion formula P(A∪B)=P(A)+P(B)−P(A∩B), then subtract from 1.
Step-by-Step Solution
- P(A)=92 (road), P(B)=95 (building), P(A∩B)=61 (both).
- P(A∪B)=92+95−61=97−61.
- Common denominator 18: 97=1814, 61=183, so P(A∪B)=1814−3=1811. …
- AP EAPCET 2025Set eng-2025-05-26-FN1 markMCQQ.Two candidates A and B have attended an interview conducted by a recruitment board for two jobs. If the probability that candidate A will get the job is 0.8 and the probability that candidate B will get the job is 0.7, then the probability that atleast one of them will get the job is (A) 0.96 (B) 0.94 (C) 0.92 (D) 0.9
›Reveal solutionSolution
This tests the complement rule for "at least one" events with two independent trials. Answer: 0.94.
Concept and Intuition
When two events are independent, the easiest way to find P(at least one occurs) is to compute the probability that neither occurs (multiply the individual "failure" probabilities) and subtract from 1.
Step-by-Step Solution
- P(A gets job)=0.8⇒P(A doesn’t)=0.2.
- P(B gets job)=0.7⇒P(B doesn’t)=0.3.
- Assuming independence, P(neither gets the job)=0.2×0.3=0.06.
- P(at least one gets the job)=1−0.06=0.94.
Common Mistakes …
- AP EAPCET 2025Set eng-2025-05-22-FN1 markMCQQ.U1,U2,U3 are three urns. U1 contains 5 red, 3 white, 2 black balls; U2 contains 4 red, 4 white, 2 black balls and U3 contains 3 red, 4 white, 3 black balls. If a ball is chosen at random from an urn chosen at random, then the probability of not getting a black ball is (A) 307 (B) 3023 (C) 52 (D) 3011
›Reveal solutionSolution
Use the Law of Total Probability, averaging the "not black" probability over the three equally likely urns. Answer: 3023.
Concept and Intuition
This is a two-stage random experiment: first an urn is picked (uniformly at random among the three), then a ball is drawn from that urn. The overall probability of an event is the weighted average of its probability conditional on each urn, weighted by the probability of picking that urn — this is exactly the Law of Total Probability.
Step-by-Step Solution
- Each urn is equally likely to be chosen: P(U1)=P(U2)=P(U3)=31.
- Totals per urn: U1 has 5+3+2=10 balls, U2 has 4+4+2=10 balls, U3 has 3+4+3=10 balls.
- Probability of NOT drawing black from each urn:
P(not black∣U1)=105+3=108
P(not black∣U2)=104+4=108
P(not black∣U3)=103+4=107
- By the Law of Total Probability: …
- AP EAPCET 2022Set eng-2022-07-04-FN1 markMCQQ.In a lottery, containing 35 tickets, exactly 10 tickets bear a prize. If a ticket is drawn at random, then the probability of not getting a prize is. (A) 1/10 (B) 2/5 (C) 2/7 (D) 5/7
›Reveal solutionSolution
This tests basic classical probability: favourable outcomes over total outcomes for a single random draw. The probability of not winning is 75.
Concept and Intuition
For a single random draw from a finite set with equally likely outcomes, the probability of an event is simply the count of outcomes satisfying that event divided by the total count. Here the event is "drawing a non-prize ticket".
Step-by-Step Solution
- Total tickets =35; prize-bearing tickets =10.
- Non-prize tickets =35−10=25.
- P(not getting a prize)=3525. …
- AP EAPCET 2023Set eng-2023-05-18-FN1 markMCQQ.The probability that a person chosen at random is left handed (in hand writing) is 0.1. Then the probability that in a group of 10 people there is a left handed person is (A) (0.9)9 (B) (0.9)8 (C) (0.9)6 (D) 0.9
›Reveal solutionSolution
This is a binomial "exactly one success" computation; the factor of 10×0.1 conveniently equals 1, leaving a clean power of 0.9.
Concept and Intuition
With X∼B(10,0.1) counting left-handed people in the group, P(X=1)=(110)(0.1)(0.9)9. The combinatorial factor 10 exactly cancels the 0.1, collapsing the whole expression to a pure power of 0.9 — which is exactly the pattern the answer choices are built around.
Step-by-Step Solution
- X∼B(n=10,p=0.1).
- P(X=1)=(110)(0.1)1(0.9)9. …
- AP EAPCET 2025Set eng-2025-05-23-AN1 markMCQQ.A four member committee is to be formed from a group containing 9 men and 5 women. If a committee is formed randomly, then the probability that it contains atleast one woman is (A) 143125 (B) 14318 (C) 14360 (D) 14365
›Reveal solutionSolution
The complement (all-men committee) is far easier to count directly; subtracting from 1 gives 125/143.
Concept and Intuition
"At least one" probabilities are almost always easiest via the complement — here the complement is simply "all 4 members are men", a single clean binomial-coefficient ratio.
Step-by-Step Solution
- Total ways to form a 4-member committee from 14 people: (414)=1001.
- Ways with no women (all men): (49)=126.
- P(no women)=1001126. Since 1001=7×11×13 and 126=2×32×7, dividing by the common factor 7 gives 14318.
- P(at least one woman)=1−14318=143143−18=143125. …
- AP EAPCET 2025Set eng-2025-05-26-FN1 markMCQQ.Three numbers are chosen from 1 to 30. The probability that they are not three consecutive numbers is (A) 1451 (B) 145142 (C) 145143 (D) 145144
›Reveal solutionSolution
This tests the complement rule in probability applied to counting consecutive triples from a range. Answer: 145144.
Concept and Intuition
It's far easier to count the "bad" (consecutive) outcomes and subtract from 1 than to directly count all the non-consecutive triples. A set of 3 consecutive integers from {1,…,30} is completely determined by its smallest member k, which can range from 1 to 28 (since k,k+1,k+2≤30).
Step-by-Step Solution
- Total ways to choose any 3 numbers from 30: (330)=630⋅29⋅28=4060.
- Number of ways to pick 3 consecutive numbers: the smallest of the three, k, satisfies 1≤k≤28, giving exactly 28 such triples.
- P(three consecutive)=406028=1451 (dividing numerator and denominator by 28). …
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