Q.An insurance company insured 2000 scooter drivers, 4000 car drivers and 6000 truck drivers. The probability of an accidents are 0.01, 0.03 and 0.15 respectively. One of the insured persons meets with an accident. What is the probability that he is a scooter driver?
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🔒 Start your 14-day free trial to unlock the full solution →Concept understanding — Conditional Probability
Conditional Probability
Roll a die and ask "what is the chance of an even number?" — that is 3/6. But suppose someone tells you the result is greater than 3. Now you are no longer looking at all six faces, only at {4,5,6}, and two of those (4 and 6) are even, so the probability becomes 2/3. That change — from the probability of A to the probability of A given that B has already occurred — is conditional probability.
The Idea: Shrink the Sample Space
Conditioning on B throws away every outcome where B is false and treats B as the new "whole world." You measure A only against what is still possible.
Think of filtering a table of data: unconditional probability uses every row; conditional probability keeps only the rows where the condition is true.
The Definition
For events A and B with P(B)>0,
P(A∣B)=P(B)P(A∩B).
We divide by P(B) to rescale so that B itself has probability 1; the surviving part of A is the overlap A∩B. Checking the die: P(A∩B)=P({4,6})=62 and P(B)=63, so P(A∣B)=3/62/6=32, matching the intuition.
Rearranging gives the multiplication rule P(A∩B)=P(A∣B)P(B), which is usually the easier way to compute a joint probability when a problem says "given that."
Two Cautions
- P(A∣B) and P(B∣A) are generally not equal; swapping them is the classic mistake. They are linked by Bayes' theorem, P(A∣B)=P(B)P(B∣A)P(A). …
Concept: Conditional Probability (Bayes' Theorem)
We are given the total number of insured drivers:
- Scooter: 2000
- Car: 4000
- Truck: 6000
Total insured persons = 2000+4000+6000=12000.
Let S, C, T be the events that the person is a scooter, car, or truck driver respectively. Let A be the event of an accident.
Step 1: Prior probabilities
P(S)=120002000=61,P(C)=120004000=31,P(T)=120006000=21
Step 2: Likelihoods (accident probabilities given driver type)
P(A∣S)=0.01,P(A∣C)=0.03,P(A∣T)=0.15
Step 3: Apply Bayes' Theorem
P(S∣A)=P(S)⋅P(A∣S)+P(C)⋅P(A∣C)+P(T)⋅P(A∣T)P(S)⋅P(A∣S)
Substitute:
P(S∣A)=61×0.01+31×0.03+21×0.1561×0.01
Compute numerator: 61×0.01=60.01=6001.
Denominator: …
Using Bayes' Theorem, we update the prior probability that a randomly chosen insured person is a scooter driver (1/6) with the likelihood of an accident given each vehicle type. The posterior probability that an accident victim is a scooter driver comes out to 1/52.
Why Bayes' Theorem?
We are told that an accident has happened, and we need the probability that the person involved is a scooter driver. This is a classic case of inverse probability: we know the probabilities of accidents given each type of driver, but we want the probability of the driver type given that an accident occurred.
The natural tool is Bayes' Theorem. It lets us "reverse" the conditional probability using the prior probabilities (how many of each driver type are insured) and the likelihoods (accident rates for each type).
Bayes' Theorem:
P(Scooter∣Accident)=P(Accident)P(Accident∣Scooter)⋅P(Scooter)
The denominator P(Accident) is the total probability of an accident across all driver types — we compute it using the law of total probability.
Step-by-step solution
1. Find the prior probabilities (proportions of insured drivers)
Total insured persons:
2000+4000+6000=12000
So:
- P(Scooter)=120002000=61
- P(Car)=120004000=31
- P(Truck)=120006000=21
2. Note the likelihoods (accident probabilities given driver type)
These are given directly:
- P(Accident∣Scooter)=0.01
- P(Accident∣Car)=0.03
- P(Accident∣Truck)=0.15
3. Compute the total probability of an accident
Using the law of total probability:
P(Accident)=∑typeP(Accident∣type)⋅P(type)
=(0.01×61)+(0.03×31)+(0.15×21)
Let's compute each term carefully:
- Scooter: 0.01×61=60.01=6001
- Car: 0.03×31=0.01=1001
- Truck: 0.15×21=0.075=403
Now add them. Convert to a common denominator of 600:
- 6001 stays as is
- 1001=6006
- 403=60045
So: …
Method: Bayes' Theorem when the priors come as counts
Use this "given an event, find which category" pattern when the categories are described by group sizes (counts) rather than ready-made probabilities.
Steps
Step 1: Convert the counts into prior probabilities.
Add all group sizes to get the total, then P(Hi)=totalsize of group i. Never plug the raw counts straight into the formula — they must become fractions that sum to 1.
Step 2: Record each group's likelihood of the event.
P(E∣Hi) is the event rate (accident probability) for that group, given directly.
Step 3: Total probability of the event. …
Common Mistakes
Mistake 1: Using the raw counts (2000, 4000, 6000) as probabilities.
Why it's wrong: probabilities must be fractions of the total that sum to 1. Correct approach: divide by 12000 to get priors 61,31,21.
Mistake 2: Comparing accident rates without weighting by group size.
Why it's wrong: trucks are both the largest group and the highest-risk, so they dominate the accidents. Correct approach: weight each rate by its prior inside P(A).
Mistake 3: Forgetting the full denominator P(A). …
Showing the 12 most recent of 69 on this concept.
- AP EAPCET 2023Set eng-2023-05-19-FN1 markMCQQ.A shopkeeper buys a particular type of electric bulbs from three manufacturers M1,M2 and M3. He buys 25% of his requirement from M1, 45% from M2 and 30% from M3. Based on past experience he found that 2% of type M3 bulbs are defective, where as only 1% of type M1 and type M2 are defective. If a bulb chosen by him at random is defective, then the probability that it was of type M3 is (A) 135 (B) 136 (C) 137 (D) 138
›Reveal solutionSolution
A direct application of Bayes' theorem with the law of total probability for the defective-bulb probability. Answer: (B).
Concept and Intuition
This is a classic "reverse conditional probability" problem: we know how likely a defect is given the source, and want the reverse — the probability the source was M3 given a defect was observed. Bayes' theorem converts one into the other via the law of total probability.
Step-by-Step Solution
- Given: P(M1)=0.25, P(M2)=0.45, P(M3)=0.30; P(D∣M1)=0.01, P(D∣M2)=0.01, P(D∣M3)=0.02.
- Total probability of a defective bulb: P(D)=P(M1)P(D∣M1)+P(M2)P(D∣M2)+P(M3)P(D∣M3) =0.25(0.01)+0.45(0.01)+0.30(0.02)=0.0025+0.0045+0.006=0.013. …
- AP EAPCET 2022Set eng-2022-07-07-FN1 markMCQQ.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
- Prior probabilities: P(A)=0.3, P(B)=0.4, P(C)=0.3.
- Conditional defect rates: P(D∣A)=0.02, P(D∣B)=0.03, P(D∣C)=0.01.
- Total probability of a defective toy (law of total probability):
P(D)=P(A)P(D∣A)+P(B)P(D∣B)+P(C)P(D∣C)=0.3(0.02)+0.4(0.03)+0.3(0.01)
=0.006+0.012+0.003=0.021.
- By Bayes' theorem: …
- AP EAPCET 2025Set eng-2025-05-24-FN1 markMCQQ.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) 200121 (B) 12116 (C) 8114 (D) 8116
›Reveal solutionSolution
A three-section Bayes'-theorem problem; the answer is 8116, 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
- Conditional probabilities of picking a girl within each section: P(girl∣A)=5020=52; P(girl∣B)=6040=32; P(girl∣C)=4010=41.
- Section-selection probabilities: P(A)=51, P(B)=103, P(C)=21.
- Joint terms: P(A)P(girl∣A)=51⋅52=252; P(B)P(girl∣B)=103⋅32=51; P(C)P(girl∣C)=21⋅41=81. …
- AP EAPCET 2026Set eng-2026-05-14-FN1 markMCQQ.In a bolt factory, machines A, B, C manufacture 25%, 35%, 40% of the total output respectively. There is a chance of having 5%, 4%, 2% defective bolts manufactured by A, B, C respectively. If a bolt is drawn at random from the output, then the probability that it is defective is (A) 200069 (B) 200059 (C) 200079 (D) 200089
›Reveal solutionSolution
Classic total-probability ("law of total probability") setup: weight each machine's defect rate by its share of output and sum. The answer is (A).
Concept and Intuition
When an item can come from several mutually exclusive, exhaustive sources (here, machines A, B, C), and each source has its own conditional probability of producing a defect, the overall probability of a defect is the weighted average:
P(D)=∑iP(sourcei)P(D∣sourcei).
This is the law of total probability — it's the natural way to combine "how much each machine contributes" with "how likely each machine's own output is defective."
Step-by-Step Solution
- Let A,B,C denote drawing a bolt from each machine: P(A)=0.25, P(B)=0.35, P(C)=0.40 (these sum to 1, as they must).
- Conditional defect probabilities: P(D∣A)=0.05, P(D∣B)=0.04, P(D∣C)=0.02.
- By the law of total probability:
P(D)=P(A)P(D∣A)+P(B)P(D∣B)+P(C)P(D∣C).
- Compute each term: 0.25×0.05=0.0125; 0.35×0.04=0.014; 0.40×0.02=0.008. …
- AP EAPCET 2026Set eng-2026-05-12-FN1 markMCQQ.In a college, the heights of 4% of male and 1% of female students are more than 1.8 meters. If 60% of the total students are female and a student selected at random has height more than 1.8 meters, then the probability that this student is a female, is (A) 118 (B) 116 (C) 115 (D) 113
›Reveal solutionSolution
A direct application of Bayes' theorem: given the height is above 1.8m, find the probability the student is female.
Concept and Intuition
This is the classic "reverse conditional probability" setup — we know P(tall∣gender) for each gender and the gender proportions, and want P(gender∣tall). Bayes' theorem converts one direction of conditioning into the other by weighting each gender's tall-probability by its population share and normalizing.
Step-by-Step Solution
- Let M = male, F = female, H = height >1.8m. Given: P(F)=0.6, P(M)=0.4, P(H∣M)=0.04, P(H∣F)=0.01.
- Total probability of height >1.8m: P(H)=P(M)P(H∣M)+P(F)P(H∣F)=0.4(0.04)+0.6(0.01)=0.016+0.006=0.022. …
- AP EAPCET 2024Set eng-2024-05-18-FN1 markMCQQ.The probability that a person goes to college by car is 51; by bus 52 and by train is 53 respectively. The probabilities that he reaches the college late if he takes car, bus, train are 72,74 and 71 respectively. If he reaches the college in time, the probability that he travelled by car is (A) 296 (B) 2924 (C) 295 (D) 2923
›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(cause∣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
- On-time probabilities per mode: car 1−72=75; bus 1−74=73; train 1−71=76.
- Total on-time probability: P(ontime)=51⋅75+52⋅73+53⋅76=355+356+3518=3529.
- Joint probability of taking the car AND being on time: 51⋅75=355. …
- AP EAPCET 2025Set eng-2025-05-21-FN1 markMCQQ.70% of the total employees of a factory are men. Among the employees of that factory, 30% of men and 15% of women are technical assistants. If an employee chosen at random is found to be a technical assistant, then the probability that this employee is a man is (A) 239 (B) 173 (C) 1714 (D) 2314
›Reveal solutionSolution
A direct Bayes'/total-probability computation using a convenient total of 100 employees. The answer is 1714.
Concept and Intuition
We want P(man∣technical assistant). Since we're given the proportion of men and women, and what fraction of each group are technical assistants, the cleanest approach is to work with actual counts (out of a convenient total like 100) rather than abstract probabilities — it avoids fraction juggling.
Step-by-Step Solution
- Assume 100 employees: Men =70, Women =30.
- Technical assistants among men: 30% of 70=21.
- Technical assistants among women: 15% of 30=4.5.
- Total technical assistants =21+4.5=25.5.
- P(man∣TA)=25.521=255210=5142=1714. …
- AP EAPCET 2024Set eng-2024-05-20-FN1 markMCQQ.A, B, C are mutually exclusive and exhaustive events of a random experiment and E is an event that occurs in conjunction with one of the events A, B, C. The conditional Probabilities of E given the happening of A, B, C are respectively 0.6, 0.3 and 0.1. If P(A)=0.30 and P(B)=0.50, then P(C∣E)= (A) 352 (B) 3515 (C) 3518 (D) 3517
›Reveal solutionSolution
This is a direct Bayes' theorem application over three mutually exclusive, exhaustive causes; P(C∣E)=2/35.
Concept and Intuition
When an event E can occur alongside any of several mutually exclusive, exhaustive causes A,B,C, Bayes' theorem lets us find the probability of a particular cause given that E has occurred, by weighing each cause's prior probability by how likely E is under it, then normalizing.
Step-by-Step Solution
- Since A,B,C are mutually exclusive and exhaustive, P(C)=1−P(A)−P(B)=1−0.30−0.50=0.20.
- Total probability of E: P(E)=P(E∣A)P(A)+P(E∣B)P(B)+P(E∣C)P(C) =0.6(0.30)+0.3(0.50)+0.1(0.20)=0.18+0.15+0.02=0.35 …
- AP EAPCET 2025Set eng-2025-05-21-AN1 markMCQQ.A manufacturing company of bulbs has 3 units A, B and C which produce 25%, 35% and 40% of the bulbs respectively. Out of the bulbs produced by A, B, C units, 5%, 4% and 2% are defective respectively. If a bulb is chosen at random and found to be defective, then the probability that it is produced by unit B is (A) 6928 (B) 7128 (C) 6729 (D) 6925
›Reveal solutionSolution
This tests Bayes' theorem: given the bulb is defective, find the (reversed) probability it came from unit B. Answer: 6928.
Concept and Intuition
We know the forward probabilities (which unit makes what fraction, and each unit's defect rate), but we're asked a reverse question: given the bulb turned out defective, which unit is it likely from? Bayes' theorem reweights the prior production shares by how likely each unit was to have produced this particular (defective) outcome.
Step-by-Step Solution
- Let A,B,C be the events "bulb from unit A/B/C", with P(A)=0.25, P(B)=0.35, P(C)=0.40.
- Conditional defect rates: P(D∣A)=0.05, P(D∣B)=0.04, P(D∣C)=0.02.
- Total probability of a defective bulb: P(D)=0.25(0.05)+0.35(0.04)+0.40(0.02)=0.0125+0.014+0.008=0.0345 …
- AP EAPCET 2025Set eng-2025-05-24-FN1 markMCQQ.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) 152 (B) 293 (C) 313 (D) 514
›Reveal solutionSolution
A direct Bayes'-theorem inversion problem; the item is actually defective with probability 313 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
- Let D: item defective, P(D)=0.3; D′: item not defective, P(D′)=0.7.
- Device accuracy =0.8, so it errs with probability 0.2.
- "Reports not defective" while the item is defective means the device made an error: P(report ND∣D)=0.2.
- "Reports not defective" while the item is not defective means the device was accurate: P(report ND∣D′)=0.8. …
- AP EAPCET 2026Set eng-2026-05-15-FN1 markMCQQ.For a biased die, the probabilities for different faces to turn up are given belowThe 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) 3310 (B) 215 (C) 218 (D) 421
Face 1 2 3 4 5 6 Probability 0.1 0.32 0.21 0.15 0.05 0.17 ›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(face 1∣face 1 or 2)=P(face 1)+P(face 2)P(face 1), since these two events are mutually exclusive and their union is the conditioning event.
Step-by-Step Solution
- P(1)=0.1, P(2)=0.32.
- P(1 or 2)=0.1+0.32=0.42.
- P(1∣1 or 2)=0.420.1=4210=215.
Common Mistakes …
- AP EAPCET 2024Set eng-2024-05-23-FN1 markMCQQ.It is given that in a random experiment events A and B are such that P(A)=41, P(A∣B)=21 and P(B∣A)=32 then P(B)= (A) 31 (B) 32 (C) 21 (D) 61
›Reveal solutionSolution
Using P(B∣A) to find P(A∩B), then dividing by P(A∣B), gives P(B)=31.
Concept and Intuition
The conditional probability definitions P(A∣B)=P(B)P(A∩B) and P(B∣A)=P(A)P(A∩B) share the common quantity P(A∩B) — computing it from one equation lets us solve the other for the unknown probability.
Step-by-Step Solution
- From P(B∣A)=P(A)P(A∩B)=32, and P(A)=41: P(A∩B)=32×41=61.
- From P(A∣B)=P(B)P(A∩B)=21: P(B)=P(A∣B)P(A∩B)=1/21/6=31.
Common Mistakes …
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