Q.Assume that each born child is equally likely to be a boy or a girl. If a family has two children, what is the conditional probability that both are girls given that

Showing the 12 most recent of 69 on this concept.

1. AP EAPCET 2026Set eng-2026-05-15-AN1 markMCQ
   Q.If it is known that a woman has two children and she has at least one girl child, the probability that the woman has both girl children is (A) $\dfrac{1}{4}$ (B) $\dfrac{1}{3}$ (C) $\dfrac{2}{3}$ (D) $\dfrac{1}{2}$

   ›Reveal solutionSolution

   This is a classic conditional-probability trap: conditioning on "at least one girl" (not "the elder/first child is a girl") leaves 3 equally likely outcomes, of which 1 is both-girls, giving $\dfrac13$.

   Concept and Intuition

   With two children, birth order matters for counting equally likely outcomes: $BB, BG, GB, GG$, each with probability $1/4$. The event "at least one girl" is a set of outcomes, not a statement about a specific (e.g. first) child, so it correctly removes only $BB$ and keeps three outcomes, not two. This distinguishes it from the simpler (and different) question "given the elder child is a girl," which would leave only $\{GB,GG\}$ and give probability $1/2$.

   Step-by-Step Solution

   1. Sample space (ordered by birth, say elder-younger): $\{BB,BG,GB,GG\}$, each with probability $\dfrac14$.
   2. Event $E$ = "at least one girl" = $\{BG,GB,GG\}$, so $P(E)=\dfrac34$. …

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2. AP EAPCET 2025Set eng-2025-05-22-AN1 markMCQ
   Q.There are three families $F_1, F_2, F_3$. $F_1$ has 2 boys and 1 girl; $F_2$ has 1 boy and 2 girls; $F_3$ has 1 boy and 1 girl. A family is randomly chosen and a child is chosen from that family randomly. If it is known that the child thus selected is a girl, then the probability that she is from $F_2$ is (A) $\dfrac{4}{9}$ (B) $\dfrac{2}{9}$ (C) $\dfrac{3}{7}$ (D) $\dfrac{5}{7}$

   ›Reveal solutionSolution

   Applying Bayes' theorem across the three equally-likely families gives $P(F_2\mid\text{girl})=\dfrac49$.

   Concept and Intuition

   This is a textbook application of Bayes' theorem: we're given the reverse conditional probabilities (family $\to$ probability of picking a girl) and asked for the forward one (girl picked $\to$ probability she's from a specific family).

   Step-by-Step Solution

   1. Prior: $P(F_1)=P(F_2)=P(F_3)=\dfrac13$.
   2. $P(\text{girl}\mid F_1)=\dfrac13$ (1 girl out of 3 children), $P(\text{girl}\mid F_2)=\dfrac23$, $P(\text{girl}\mid F_3)=\dfrac12$.
   3. Total probability: $P(\text{girl})=\frac13\cdot\frac13+\frac13\cdot\frac23+\frac13\cdot\frac12=\frac13\left(\frac13+\frac23+\frac12\right)=\frac13\cdot\frac{2+4+3}{6}=\frac13\cdot\frac96=\frac12$
   4. $P(F_2\cap\text{girl})=\dfrac13\cdot\dfrac23=\dfrac29$. …

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3. AP EAPCET 2025Set eng-2025-05-26-AN1 markMCQ
   Q.A family consists of 8 persons. If 4 persons are chosen at random and they are found to be 2 men and 2 women, then the probability that there are equal number of men and women in that family is (A) $\dfrac{1}{5}$ (B) $\dfrac{3}{7}$ (C) $\dfrac{2}{5}$ (D) $\dfrac{2}{7}$

   ›Reveal solutionSolution

   This is a Bayes'-theorem problem: given the observed sample (2 men, 2 women out of 4 drawn), find the posterior probability that the family itself is evenly split (4 men, 4 women), by weighting each possible family composition's likelihood of producing that sample.

   Concept and Intuition

   Before drawing, we don't know how many of the 8 family members are men — call it $k$ ($k$ can range from 0 to 8, but only $k=2,3,4,5,6$ can possibly yield a sample of 2 men and 2 women out of 4 drawn, since we need at least 2 men and at least 2 women in the family). Treating each feasible value of $k$ as equally likely a priori, Bayes' theorem says: $P(k=4\mid\text{observed 2M,2W}) = \dfrac{P(\text{observed}\mid k=4)}{\sum_{k} P(\text{observed}\mid k)}$, since the priors cancel when they're equal.

   Step-by-Step Solution

   1. For a family with $k$ men and $8-k$ women, the probability of drawing exactly 2 men and 2 women in a sample of 4 (hypergeometric) is proportional to $\binom{k}{2}\binom{8-k}{2}$ (the $\binom{8}{4}$ denominator is common to all $k$ and cancels in the ratio).
   2. Only $k=2,3,4,5,6$ give a nonzero value (need $k\ge2$ and $8-k\ge2$).
   3. Compute $L(k)=\binom{k}{2}\binom{8-k}{2}$ for each:
      • $k=2$: $\binom22\binom62 = 1\times15=15$
      • $k=3$: $\binom32\binom52 = 3\times10=30$
      • $k=4$: $\binom42\binom42 = 6\times6=36$
      • $k=5$: $\binom52\binom32 = 10\times3=30$
      • $k=6$: $\binom62\binom22 = 15\times1=15$
   4. Sum of likelihoods $=15+30+36+30+15=126$. …

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4. AP EAPCET 2022Set eng-2022-07-06-AN1 markMCQ
   Q.An unbiased coin is tossed 3 times. If the third toss gets head, then the probability of getting at least one more head is (A) $3/4$ (B) $1/4$ (C) $1/2$ (D) $1/3$

   ›Reveal solutionSolution

   This tests recognizing conditional independence: given the third toss's outcome, the first two tosses remain independent unbiased flips, so their probability is unaffected by the condition. Answer: $3/4$.

   Concept and Intuition

   Since coin tosses are independent events, knowing the outcome of the third toss (head) gives us no information about the first two tosses. So the question really just asks: what's the probability of getting at least one head in two independent fair coin tosses? This is most easily computed via the complement (no heads at all in two tosses).

   Step-by-Step Solution

   1. The condition 'the third toss gets head' is independent of the outcomes of the first two tosses (each coin toss is independent of the others).
   2. So conditioning on the third toss being heads doesn't change the probabilities for the first two tosses — they remain two independent fair coin flips.
   3. We want $P(\text{at least one head among the first two tosses})$.
   4. Use the complement: $P(\text{no heads in first two tosses}) = P(\text{both tails}) = \dfrac12\times\dfrac12=\dfrac14$.
   5. So $P(\text{at least one head}) = 1-\dfrac14 = \dfrac34$.

   Common Mistakes …

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5. AP EAPCET 2022Set eng-2022-07-06-FN1 markMCQ
   Q.Two persons P and Q are considering to apply for a job. The probability that P applies for the job is 1/4, the probability that P applies for the job given that Q applies for the job is 1/2, and the probability that Q applies for the job given that P applies for the job is 1/3. Then the probability that P does not apply for the job given that Q does not apply for the job is (A) $4/5$ (B) $5/6$ (C) $7/8$ (D) $11/12$

   ›Reveal solutionSolution

   Chain the given conditional probabilities to find $P(Q)$ and $P(P\cap Q)$, then use the complement rule — the answer is (A) $4/5$.

   Concept and Intuition

   Conditional probability definitions let us cross-multiply to recover the joint probability $P(P\cap Q)$ from either conditional. Once $P(P), P(Q), P(P\cap Q)$ are all known, De Morgan's law converts "neither event" into the complement of the union.

   Step-by-Step Solution

   1. Given: $P(P)=\tfrac14$, $P(P|Q)=\tfrac12$, $P(Q|P)=\tfrac13$.
   2. $P(P\cap Q) = P(Q|P)\cdot P(P) = \tfrac13\times\tfrac14 = \tfrac1{12}$.
   3. Also $P(P\cap Q) = P(P|Q)\cdot P(Q) \Rightarrow \tfrac1{12} = \tfrac12\cdot P(Q) \Rightarrow P(Q)=\tfrac16$.
   4. $P(P\cup Q) = P(P)+P(Q)-P(P\cap Q) = \tfrac14+\tfrac16-\tfrac1{12} = \tfrac{3}{12}+\tfrac{2}{12}-\tfrac{1}{12}=\tfrac{4}{12}=\tfrac13$.
   5. By De Morgan's law, "neither P nor Q applies" is the complement of $P\cup Q$: $P(\overline P\cap\overline Q) = 1-\tfrac13=\tfrac23$.
   6. $P(\overline Q) = 1-P(Q) = 1-\tfrac16=\tfrac56$. …

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6. AP EAPCET 2025Set eng-2025-05-24-FN1 markMCQ
   Q.In a school there are 3 sections A, B and C. Section A contains 20 girls and 30 boys, section B contains 40 girls and 20 boys and section C contains 10 girls and 30 boys. The probabilities of selecting the section A, B and C are 0.2, 0.3 and 0.5 respectively. If a student selected at random from the school is a girl, then the probability that she belongs to section A is (A) $\dfrac{121}{200}$ (B) $\dfrac{16}{121}$ (C) $\dfrac{14}{81}$ (D) $\dfrac{16}{81}$

   ›Reveal solutionSolution

   A three-section Bayes'-theorem problem; the answer is $\dfrac{16}{81}$, option (D).

   Concept and Intuition

   Given a randomly selected student is a girl, we want to reverse-condition on which section she came from. This requires the total probability of "selecting a girl" (summed over all three sections weighted by section-selection probability), then applying Bayes' theorem to isolate section A's contribution.

   Step-by-Step Solution

   1. Conditional probabilities of picking a girl within each section: $P(\text{girl}\mid A)=\dfrac{20}{50}=\dfrac{2}{5}$; $P(\text{girl}\mid B)=\dfrac{40}{60}=\dfrac{2}{3}$; $P(\text{girl}\mid C)=\dfrac{10}{40}=\dfrac14$.
   2. Section-selection probabilities: $P(A)=\dfrac15,\ P(B)=\dfrac{3}{10},\ P(C)=\dfrac12$.
   3. Joint terms: $P(A)P(\text{girl}\mid A)=\dfrac15\cdot\dfrac25=\dfrac{2}{25}$; $P(B)P(\text{girl}\mid B)=\dfrac{3}{10}\cdot\dfrac23=\dfrac15$; $P(C)P(\text{girl}\mid C)=\dfrac12\cdot\dfrac14=\dfrac18$. …

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7. AP EAPCET 2021Set eng-2021-08-24-AN1 markMCQ
   Q.A box contains $n$ coins, $m$ of which are fair and the rest are biased. When a biased coin is tossed, the probability of getting a head is twice as likely as tail. A coin is drawn from the box at random and is tossed twice. It is found that first time it shows head and the second time it shows tail. Then the probability that the coin drawn is fair is (A) $\frac{7m}{8n+m}$ (B) $\frac{9m}{8n+m}$ (C) $\frac{7m}{8m+n}$ (D) $\frac{9m}{8m+n}$

   ›Reveal solutionSolution

   This is a Bayes'-theorem problem; computing the likelihoods for fair vs. biased coins and combining with the prior $m/n$ gives $\frac{9m}{8n+m}$.

   Concept and Intuition

   Bayes' theorem updates our belief about which "type" of coin was drawn, given the observed outcome (head then tail), by weighing each type's prior probability by how likely it was to produce that exact outcome.

   Step-by-Step Solution

   1. Fair coin: $P(H)=P(T)=\frac12$, so $P(HT\mid\text{fair})=\frac12\cdot\frac12=\frac14$.
   2. Biased coin: head is twice as likely as tail, so $P(H)=\frac23,\,P(T)=\frac13$; $P(HT\mid\text{biased})=\frac23\cdot\frac13=\frac29$.
   3. Priors: $P(\text{fair})=\frac mn$, $P(\text{biased})=\frac{n-m}{n}$. …

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8. AP EAPCET 2024Set eng-2024-05-21-FN1 markMCQ
   Q.In a class consisting of 40 boys and 30 girls, 30% of the boys and 40% of the girls are good at Mathematics. If a student selected at random from that class is found to be a girl, then the probability that she is not good at Mathematics is (A) $\dfrac{3}{5}$ (B) $\dfrac{2}{5}$ (C) $\dfrac{3}{10}$ (D) $\dfrac{7}{10}$

   ›Reveal solutionSolution

   Conditioning on "the student is a girl" restricts the sample space to the 30 girls only; the answer is $\frac35$.

   Concept and Intuition

   This is conditional probability with a twist: the condition ("selected student is a girl") is given as a fact, not something to be computed via Bayes' theorem. Once we know the student is a girl, the boys' statistics become irrelevant — we simply work within the group of girls.

   Step-by-Step Solution

   1. Total girls $=30$.
   2. Girls good at Mathematics $= 40\%$ of $30 = 12$.
   3. Girls not good at Mathematics $= 30-12=18$.
   4. Since we are told the selected student is a girl, the relevant sample space is just these 30 girls.
   5. $P(\text{not good at maths} \mid \text{girl}) = \frac{18}{30} = \frac{3}{5}.$ …

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9. AP EAPCET 2024Set eng-2024-05-20-FN1 markMCQ
   Q.Two digits are selected at random from the digits 1 through 9. If their sum is even, then the probability that both are odd is (A) $\dfrac{3}{8}$ (B) $\dfrac{1}{2}$ (C) $\dfrac{5}{8}$ (D) $\dfrac{3}{4}$

   ›Reveal solutionSolution

   Conditioning on 'sum even' restricts to same-parity pairs; among those, the odd-odd pairs make up $5/8$.

   Concept and Intuition

   Two digits sum to an even number exactly when they have the same parity (both odd or both even) — an odd plus an even is always odd. This turns the conditional-probability question into a simple counting problem over same-parity pairs only.

   Step-by-Step Solution

   1. Digits $1$ through $9$: odd $=\{1,3,5,7,9\}$ (5 digits), even $=\{2,4,6,8\}$ (4 digits).
   2. Sum is even $\iff$ both digits are odd, or both are even.
   3. Number of ways to choose 2 odd digits: $\binom52=10$.
   4. Number of ways to choose 2 even digits: $\binom42=6$.
   5. Total ways with even sum: $10+6=16$. …

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10. AP EAPCET 2023Set eng-2023-05-17-AN1 markMCQ
    Q.Three boxes $B_1$, $B_2$ and $B_3$ contain balls with different colors as follows:

    	White	Black	Red
    $B_1$	2	1	2
    $B_2$	3	2	4
    $B_3$	4	3	2

    A die is thrown. Box $B_1$ is chosen if either 1 or 2 turns up. Box $B_2$ is chosen if 3 or 4 turns up and box $B_3$ is chosen if 5 or 6 turns up. Having chosen a box in this way, a ball is drawn at random from that box. If the ball drawn is found to be Red, then the probability that it is drawn from box $B_2$ is (A) $\dfrac{7}{12}$ (B) $\dfrac{5}{12}$ (C) $\dfrac{1}{12}$ (D) $\dfrac{3}{26}$

    ›Reveal solutionSolution

    A Bayes'-theorem problem: reverse the conditional probability "ball is Red, which box?" using the total-probability formula.

    Concept and Intuition

    Bayes' theorem lets us "invert" a conditional probability. We know $P(\text{Red}\mid B_i)$ for each box and the prior $P(B_i)$ (each $1/3$ since the die is fair and each box corresponds to two faces); we want the posterior $P(B_2 \mid \text{Red})$.

    Step-by-Step Solution

    1. Totals in each box: $B_1$: $2+1+2=5$; $B_2$: $3+2+4=9$; $B_3$: $4+3+2=9$.
    2. $P(\text{Red}\mid B_1)=\dfrac{2}{5}$, $P(\text{Red}\mid B_2)=\dfrac{4}{9}$, $P(\text{Red}\mid B_3)=\dfrac{2}{9}$.
    3. Each box has prior probability $\dfrac13$ (each box corresponds to two die faces out of six).
    4. Total probability: $P(\text{Red}) = \dfrac13\left(\dfrac25+\dfrac49+\dfrac29\right) = \dfrac13\left(\dfrac25+\dfrac23\right) = \dfrac13\cdot\dfrac{16}{15}=\dfrac{16}{45}$. …

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11. AP EAPCET 2026Set eng-2026-05-18-FN1 markMCQ
    Q.A box P contains 3 white and 7 red balls. A bag Q contains 4 green and 5 blue balls. Two balls are randomly drawn from box P. If both are of same color, one ball is drawn from bag Q and if the two balls are of different color, 2 balls are drawn from the bag Q. If it is known that there is exactly one green ball among the ball or balls drawn from bag Q, then the probability that the two balls drawn from box P are of different colors is (A) $\dfrac{35}{67}$ (B) $\dfrac{21}{62}$ (C) $\dfrac{20}{43}$ (D) $\dfrac{32}{67}$

    ›Reveal solutionSolution

    A two-stage Bayes' theorem problem; conditioning on "exactly one green ball from Q" gives $P(\text{different colors from P}) = \frac{35}{67}$.

    Concept and Intuition

    This is a compound experiment: the outcome in box P (same-color vs different-color) determines how many balls are drawn from bag Q, and hence changes the probability model for "exactly one green." We must compute, for each P-outcome, the probability of observing exactly one green from Q, then combine via Bayes' theorem using the P-outcome's prior probability.

    Step-by-Step Solution

    1. Box P has 3 white + 7 red = 10 balls. $P(\text{same color}) = \dfrac{{}^3C_2+{}^7C_2}{{}^{10}C_2} = \dfrac{3+21}{45}=\dfrac{24}{45}=\dfrac{8}{15}$. $P(\text{different colors}) = 1-\dfrac{8}{15}=\dfrac{7}{15}$ (check: $\dfrac{{}^3C_1{}^7C_1}{{}^{10}C_2}=\dfrac{21}{45}=\dfrac{7}{15}$ ✓).
    2. If same color (S): draw 1 ball from Q (4 green, 5 blue, 9 total). "Exactly one green" among 1 ball drawn just means that ball is green: $P(\text{1 green}\mid S)=\dfrac{4}{9}$.
    3. If different colors (D): draw 2 balls from Q. $P(\text{exactly one green}\mid D) = \dfrac{{}^4C_1\cdot{}^5C_1}{{}^9C_2} = \dfrac{20}{36}=\dfrac{5}{9}$.
    4. By Bayes' theorem: …

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12. AP EAPCET 2026Set eng-2026-05-15-FN1 markMCQ
    Q.For a biased die, the probabilities for different faces to turn up are given below

    Face	1	2	3	4	5	6
    Probability	0.1	0.32	0.21	0.15	0.05	0.17

    The die is tossed and you are told that either face 1 or 2 has turned up. Then the probability that it is face 1 is (A) $\dfrac{10}{33}$ (B) $\dfrac{5}{21}$ (C) $\dfrac{8}{21}$ (D) $\dfrac{1}{42}$

    ›Reveal solutionSolution

    Conditioning on "face 1 or face 2" just means renormalizing the two individual probabilities so they add to 1.

    Concept and Intuition

    $P(\text{face 1}\mid\text{face 1 or 2})=\dfrac{P(\text{face 1})}{P(\text{face 1})+P(\text{face 2})}$, since these two events are mutually exclusive and their union is the conditioning event.

    Step-by-Step Solution

    1. $P(1)=0.1$, $P(2)=0.32$.
    2. $P(1\text{ or }2)=0.1+0.32=0.42$.
    3. $P(1\mid1\text{ or }2)=\dfrac{0.1}{0.42}=\dfrac{10}{42}=\dfrac{5}{21}$.

    Common Mistakes …

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