Q.In answering a question on a multiple choice test, a student either knows the answer or guesses. Let $\frac{3}{4}$ be the probability that he knows the answer and $\frac{1}{4}$ be the probability that he guesses. Assuming that a student who guesses at the answer will be correct with probability $\frac{1}{4}$. What is the probability that the student knows the answer given that he answered it correctly?

Showing the 12 most recent of 69 on this concept.

1. AP EAPCET 2023Set eng-2023-05-17-AN1 markMCQ
   Q.In a test a student either guesses or copies or knows the answer to answer a multiple choice question with four choices. The probability that he makes a guess is $1/3$ and the probability that he copies the answer is $1/6$. The probability that his answer is correct, given that he copied it is $1/8$. The probability that he knew the answer to the question, given that he answered it correctly is (A) $\dfrac{29}{24}$ (B) $\dfrac{22}{29}$ (C) $\dfrac{24}{29}$ (D) $\dfrac{23}{29}$

   ›Reveal solutionSolution

   A classic Bayes'-theorem problem with three mutually exclusive causes (guess/copy/know) for a correct answer. Answer: $24/29$.

   Concept and Intuition

   This is a textbook application of Bayes' theorem: we're given the prior probabilities of three exhaustive, mutually exclusive ways of answering (guessing, copying, knowing) along with the conditional probability of being correct under each, and asked to reverse the conditioning — find the probability the student knew the answer, GIVEN that they got it right.

   Step-by-Step Solution

   1. The three ways of answering are exhaustive: $P(\text{know})=1-P(\text{guess})-P(\text{copy})=1-\tfrac13-\tfrac16=1-\tfrac12=\tfrac12$.
   2. Conditional correctness probabilities: $P(C\mid\text{guess})=\tfrac14$ (one of four choices), $P(C\mid\text{copy})=\tfrac18$ (given), $P(C\mid\text{know})=1$.
   3. Total probability of being correct: $P(C)=\tfrac13\cdot\tfrac14+\tfrac16\cdot\tfrac18+\tfrac12\cdot1=\tfrac1{12}+\tfrac1{48}+\tfrac12$. …

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2. AP EAPCET 2025Set eng-2025-05-27-FN1 markMCQ
   Q.On every evening, a student either watches TV or reads a book. The probability of watching TV is $\dfrac{4}{5}$. If he watches TV, the probability that he will fall asleep is $\dfrac{3}{4}$ and it is $\dfrac{1}{4}$ when he reads a book. If the student is found to be asleep on an evening, the probability that he watched the TV is (A) $\dfrac{11}{13}$ (B) $\dfrac{12}{13}$ (C) $\dfrac{2}{13}$ (D) $\dfrac{4}{13}$

   ›Reveal solutionSolution

   This tests Bayes' theorem: finding the probability of a cause (watched TV) given an observed effect (fell asleep). The answer is $\dfrac{12}{13}$.

   Concept and Intuition

   When asked "given the observed outcome, what's the probability of a particular cause," that's a Bayes'-theorem setup: compute the joint probability of that cause with the outcome, and divide by the total probability of the outcome (summed over all causes).

   Step-by-Step Solution

   1. $P(\text{TV})=\tfrac45$, $P(\text{book})=\tfrac15$.
   2. $P(\text{asleep}\mid\text{TV})=\tfrac34$, $P(\text{asleep}\mid\text{book})=\tfrac14$.
   3. Total probability of falling asleep: $P(\text{asleep})=P(\text{TV})P(\text{asleep}\mid\text{TV})+P(\text{book})P(\text{asleep}\mid\text{book})=\tfrac45\cdot\tfrac34+\tfrac15\cdot\tfrac14=\tfrac35+\tfrac1{20}=\tfrac{12}{20}+\tfrac1{20}=\tfrac{13}{20}$. …

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3. AP EAPCET 2024Set eng-2024-05-23-FN1 markMCQ
   Q.It is given that in a random experiment events A and B are such that $P(A) = \dfrac{1}{4}$, $P(A|B) = \dfrac{1}{2}$ and $P(B|A) = \dfrac{2}{3}$ then $P(B) =$ (A) $\dfrac{1}{3}$ (B) $\dfrac{2}{3}$ (C) $\dfrac{1}{2}$ (D) $\dfrac{1}{6}$

   ›Reveal solutionSolution

   Using $P(B|A)$ to find $P(A\cap B)$, then dividing by $P(A|B)$, gives $P(B)=\dfrac13$.

   Concept and Intuition

   The conditional probability definitions $P(A|B)=\dfrac{P(A\cap B)}{P(B)}$ and $P(B|A)=\dfrac{P(A\cap B)}{P(A)}$ share the common quantity $P(A\cap B)$ — computing it from one equation lets us solve the other for the unknown probability.

   Step-by-Step Solution

   1. From $P(B|A)=\dfrac{P(A\cap B)}{P(A)}=\dfrac23$, and $P(A)=\dfrac14$: $P(A\cap B)=\dfrac23\times\dfrac14=\dfrac16$.
   2. From $P(A|B)=\dfrac{P(A\cap B)}{P(B)}=\dfrac12$: $P(B)=\dfrac{P(A\cap B)}{P(A|B)}=\dfrac{1/6}{1/2}=\dfrac13$.

   Common Mistakes …

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4. AP EAPCET 2025Set eng-2025-05-21-FN1 markMCQ
   Q.A person is known to speak the truth in 3 out of 4 occasions. If he throws a die and reports that it is six, then the probability that it is actually six is (A) $\dfrac{3}{8}$ (B) $\dfrac{2}{7}$ (C) $\dfrac{1}{9}$ (D) $\dfrac{4}{5}$

   ›Reveal solutionSolution

   A classic Bayes'-theorem problem: combine the prior $P(\text{six})=1/6$ with the witness's reliability $3/4$ to get the posterior probability it's actually six, given he reports six. The answer is $3/8$.

   Concept and Intuition

   Before he speaks, the die has $P(\text{six})=1/6$. His report is evidence, but he isn't perfectly reliable (truthful $3/4$ of the time). Bayes' theorem updates the prior probability using how likely the report "six" is under each of the two possibilities (six actually occurred vs. it didn't).

   Step-by-Step Solution

   1. Let $E_1$ = the die actually shows six, $E_2$ = it doesn't. $P(E_1)=\dfrac16$, $P(E_2)=\dfrac56$.
   2. Let $A$ = he reports "six". If $E_1$ occurred, he reports six truthfully with probability $\dfrac34$: $P(A\mid E_1)=\dfrac34$.
   3. If $E_2$ occurred, he reports "six" only if he lies, with probability $\dfrac14$: $P(A\mid E_2)=\dfrac14$.
   4. By Bayes' theorem:

   $P(E_1\mid A)=\frac{P(A\mid E_1)P(E_1)}{P(A\mid E_1)P(E_1)+P(A\mid E_2)P(E_2)}.$

   5. Numerator: $\dfrac34\cdot\dfrac16=\dfrac{3}{24}=\dfrac18$.
   6. Denominator's second term: $\dfrac14\cdot\dfrac56=\dfrac{5}{24}$.
   7. Sum $=\dfrac{3}{24}+\dfrac{5}{24}=\dfrac{8}{24}=\dfrac13$. …

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5. 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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6. AP EAPCET 2024Set eng-2024-05-20-AN1 markMCQ
   Q.A person is known to speak false once out of 4 times. If that person picks a card at random from a pack of 52 cards and reports that it is a king, then the probability that it is actually a king is (A) $\dfrac{1}{37}$ (B) $\dfrac{1}{5}$ (C) $\dfrac{12}{37}$ (D) $\dfrac{25}{37}$

   ›Reveal solutionSolution

   Classic Bayes'-theorem problem: weigh the prior probability of drawing a king against the person's truth-telling reliability. Answer: $1/5$.

   Concept and Intuition

   The report 'it is a king' can arise two ways: the card really is a king and the person tells the truth, or the card is NOT a king and the person lies (falsely claims king). Bayes' theorem combines these into the posterior probability that it's actually a king.

   Step-by-Step Solution

   1. Prior: $P(K)=4/52=1/13$ (king drawn), $P(\bar K)=12/13$ (not a king).
   2. Truth-telling: $P(\text{truth})=3/4$, $P(\text{lie})=1/4$.
   3. $P(\text{reports king}\mid K) = P(\text{truth}) = 3/4$ (truthfully reports the actual king).
   4. $P(\text{reports king}\mid \bar K) = P(\text{lie}) = 1/4$ (lies about a non-king, falsely calling it a king). …

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7. 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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8. AP EAPCET 2025Set eng-2025-05-24-FN1 markMCQ
   Q.An item is tested on a device for its defectiveness. The probability that such an item is defective is 0.3. The device gives accurate result in 8 out of 10 such tests. If the device reports that an item tested is not defective, then the probability that it is actually defective is (A) $\dfrac{2}{15}$ (B) $\dfrac{3}{29}$ (C) $\dfrac{3}{31}$ (D) $\dfrac{4}{51}$

   ›Reveal solutionSolution

   A direct Bayes'-theorem inversion problem; the item is actually defective with probability $\dfrac{3}{31}$ given a "not defective" report — option (C).

   Concept and Intuition

   The device's report can be wrong. To find the true state given an observed (possibly wrong) report, we must weigh both ways the report could have arisen: a genuinely non-defective item correctly reported as such, or a genuinely defective item incorrectly reported as non-defective. Bayes' theorem combines these.

   Step-by-Step Solution

   1. Let $D$: item defective, $P(D)=0.3$; $D'$: item not defective, $P(D')=0.7$.
   2. Device accuracy $=0.8$, so it errs with probability $0.2$.
   3. "Reports not defective" while the item is defective means the device made an error: $P(\text{report ND}\mid D)=0.2$.
   4. "Reports not defective" while the item is not defective means the device was accurate: $P(\text{report ND}\mid D')=0.8$. …

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9. AP EAPCET 2024Set eng-2024-05-18-FN1 markMCQ
   Q.The probability that a person goes to college by car is $\dfrac{1}{5}$; by bus $\dfrac{2}{5}$ and by train is $\dfrac{3}{5}$ respectively. The probabilities that he reaches the college late if he takes car, bus, train are $\dfrac{2}{7}, \dfrac{4}{7}$ and $\dfrac{1}{7}$ respectively. If he reaches the college in time, the probability that he travelled by car is (A) $\dfrac{6}{29}$ (B) $\dfrac{24}{29}$ (C) $\dfrac{5}{29}$ (D) $\dfrac{23}{29}$

   ›Reveal solutionSolution

   Bayes' theorem: weight each mode's "on-time" probability by its usage probability, then take the car-share of the total.

   Concept and Intuition

   This is a direct application of Bayes' theorem / total probability: to find $P(\text{cause}\mid\text{effect})$, build the denominator as the weighted sum over every possible cause of reaching the observed effect (here, arriving on time), then take the numerator's share of it.

   Step-by-Step Solution

   1. On-time probabilities per mode: car $1-\tfrac27=\tfrac57$; bus $1-\tfrac47=\tfrac37$; train $1-\tfrac17=\tfrac67$.
   2. Total on-time probability: $P(\text{ontime})=\tfrac15\cdot\tfrac57+\tfrac25\cdot\tfrac37+\tfrac35\cdot\tfrac67=\tfrac{5}{35}+\tfrac{6}{35}+\tfrac{18}{35}=\tfrac{29}{35}$.
   3. Joint probability of taking the car AND being on time: $\tfrac15\cdot\tfrac57=\tfrac{5}{35}$. …

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10. 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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11. AP EAPCET 2026Set eng-2026-05-13-FN1 markMCQ
    Q.Bag A contains 3 white and 4 black balls. Bag B contains 4 white and 3 black balls. Bag C contains 2 white and 5 black balls. A bag is randomly selected and then a ball is randomly drawn from that bag. If the ball drawn was found to be white, then the probability that the ball is drawn from bag C is (A) $\dfrac{1}{6}$ (B) $\dfrac{2}{9}$ (C) $\dfrac{1}{4}$ (D) $\dfrac{2}{13}$

    ›Reveal solutionSolution

    This is a direct Bayes'-theorem (inverse probability) question. Answer: $\dfrac{2}{9}$.

    Concept and Intuition

    We're given the outcome (a white ball was drawn) and asked for the probability of a particular cause (it came from bag C). This is exactly Bayes' theorem: $P(C\mid W) = \dfrac{P(C)P(W\mid C)}{\sum_i P(\text{bag}_i)P(W\mid \text{bag}_i)}$.

    Step-by-Step Solution

    1. Each bag is chosen with probability $\frac13$.
    2. $P(W\mid A) = \dfrac{3}{7}$ (3 white out of 7 total in bag A).
    3. $P(W\mid B) = \dfrac{4}{7}$ (4 white out of 7 in bag B).
    4. $P(W\mid C) = \dfrac{2}{7}$ (2 white out of 7 in bag C).
    5. Total probability of white: $P(W) = \frac13\left(\dfrac37+\dfrac47+\dfrac27\right) = \frac13\cdot\dfrac{9}{7} = \dfrac{9}{21} = \dfrac{3}{7}$. …

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12. AP EAPCET 2022Set eng-2022-07-07-FN1 markMCQ
    Q.In a toy factory, the machines A, B and C are used to manufacture 30%, 40% and 30% of the output, respectively. The probabilities of toys made by machines A, B, and C to be defective are respectively 2%, 3% and 1%. A toy is taken from the factory and is found to be defective. The probability that it was manufactured by the machine B is (A) $4/5$ (B) $2/9$ (C) $3/4$ (D) $4/7$

    ›Reveal solutionSolution

    This tests Bayes' theorem for finding the probability of a specific cause given an observed

    effect (a defective toy); the answer is $4/7$.

    Concept and Intuition

    When an outcome (a defective toy) could have come from several sources, each with its own prior

    probability and its own conditional probability of producing that outcome, Bayes' theorem lets us

    "invert" the conditioning: given that the outcome occurred, what's the probability it came from a

    particular source? The key is to first find the total probability of the outcome by summing over

    all sources (the law of total probability), then take the one source's contribution as a fraction of

    that total.

    Step-by-Step Solution

    1. Prior probabilities: $P(A)=0.3,\ P(B)=0.4,\ P(C)=0.3$.
    2. Conditional defect rates: $P(D\mid A)=0.02,\ P(D\mid B)=0.03,\ P(D\mid C)=0.01$.
    3. Total probability of a defective toy (law of total probability):

    $P(D)=P(A)P(D\mid A)+P(B)P(D\mid B)+P(C)P(D\mid C) = 0.3(0.02)+0.4(0.03)+0.3(0.01)$

    $= 0.006+0.012+0.003 = 0.021.$

    4. By Bayes' theorem: …

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