Q.Bag I contains 3 red and 4 black balls while another Bag II contains 5 red and 6 black balls. One ball is drawn at random from one of the bags and it is found to be red. Find the probability that it was drawn from Bag II.
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).
- If P(A∣B)=P(A), then knowing B tells you nothing about A — the events are independent. That is a special case, not the general rule.
Conditional probability is the foundation of the multiplication theorem, independence, and Bayes' theorem — every "given that" question in this chapter rests on it.
Conditional Probability opens the CBSE Class 12 Probability chapter and is foundational for everything that follows in that unit, including Bayes' theorem and the multiplication rule — making "conditional probability formula class 12 with examples" one of the most searched topics in Class 12 Mathematics. It is equally important for JEE Main and CUET, where conditional probability questions are set almost every year.
Concept: Conditional Probability (Bayes' Theorem)
Let E1 = choosing Bag I, E2 = choosing Bag II, and A = drawing a red ball.
- P(E1)=P(E2)=21
- P(A∣E1)=73, P(A∣E2)=115
We need P(E2∣A).
Step 1: Apply Bayes' theorem:
P(E2∣A)=P(E1)⋅P(A∣E1)+P(E2)⋅P(A∣E2)P(E2)⋅P(A∣E2)
Step 2: Substitute values:
P(E2∣A)=21⋅73+21⋅11521⋅115=73+115115
Step 3: Simplify denominator:
73+115=7733+35=7768
Thus,
P(E2∣A)=68/775/11=115×6877=685×7=6835
The probability that the red ball came from Bag II is 6835.
Using Bayes’ theorem, we update the prior probability of choosing Bag II (1/2) with the likelihood of drawing a red ball from it (5/11), normalised by the total probability of drawing a red ball from either bag. The required probability is 6835.
The problem asks: given that a red ball was drawn, what is the chance it came from Bag II? This is a classic case of inverse probability — we know the outcome (red ball) and want the probability of a particular cause (Bag II). The natural tool is Bayes’ theorem, which reverses the conditional probability.
Why Bayes’ theorem works here:
We have two mutually exclusive and exhaustive events (choosing Bag I or Bag II), each with a prior probability of 1/2 (since the bag is chosen at random). For each bag, we know the probability of drawing a red ball (the “likelihood”). Bayes’ theorem combines these to give the posterior probability — the probability of the cause given the observed effect.
Let’s define the events clearly:
- B1: the ball is drawn from Bag I
- B2: the ball is drawn from Bag II
- R: the ball drawn is red
We need P(B2∣R).
- Write down the prior probabilities. Since the bag is chosen at random,
P(B1)=21,P(B2)=21.
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Find the likelihoods — probability of drawing a red ball from each bag.
- Bag I: 3 red + 4 black = 7 balls total. So P(R∣B1)=73.
- Bag II: 5 red + 6 black = 11 balls total. So P(R∣B2)=115.
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Compute the total probability of drawing a red ball (the denominator in Bayes’ theorem).
By the law of total probability:
P(R)=P(R∣B1)P(B1)+P(R∣B2)P(B2)
P(R)=73⋅21+115⋅21=143+225.
Find a common denominator (154):
143=15433,225=15435.
So
P(R)=15433+35=15468=7734.
You can keep P(R) as 15468 and simplify later — sometimes it’s easier to avoid reducing until the final step, especially when the numerator and denominator in Bayes’ formula share factors.
- Apply Bayes’ theorem.
P(B2∣R)=P(R)P(R∣B2)P(B2)=7734115⋅21.
Simplify step by step:
Numerator: 115⋅21=225.
So
P(B2∣R)=34/775/22=225×3477=22×345×77.
Cancel common factors: 77=7×11, 22=2×11. The 11 cancels:
2×345×7=6835.
A common mistake is to forget that the denominator P(R) must include contributions from both bags. If you only use the likelihood from Bag II, you’ll get 115 — which is the probability of red given Bag II, not the probability that the red came from Bag II.
- Interpret the result. The probability 6835≈0.5147 is slightly more than 1/2. This makes sense: Bag II has a higher proportion of red balls (5/11≈0.455) than Bag I (3/7≈0.429), so observing a red ball shifts the probability slightly in favour of Bag II.
The probability that the red ball was drawn from Bag II is 6835.
Method: Bayes' Theorem (finding the cause from the observed outcome)
Use this whenever you observe an outcome and are asked which source most likely produced it — the conditioning is reversed from what the problem hands you (you know the chance of a red ball given each bag, but want the chance of a bag given a red ball).
Steps
Step 1: Set up the partition of possible causes.
List the mutually exclusive, exhaustive hypotheses (here: the ball came from Bag I or Bag II) and write their prior probabilities P(Ei) (these must sum to 1).
Step 2: Write each likelihood.
For each cause, state P(A∣Ei) — the probability of the observed outcome (here: drawing a red ball) under that cause.
Step 3: Get the total probability of the outcome (the denominator).
By the law of total probability,
P(A)=∑iP(Ei)P(A∣Ei).
Step 4: Apply Bayes' theorem for the cause you want.
P(Ek∣A)=∑iP(Ei)P(A∣Ei)P(Ek)P(A∣Ek).
The numerator is just the one term of the denominator that belongs to the cause you are asked about — so the answer is that cause's share of the total chance of the outcome.
Key subtlety for bag/urn problems: the likelihood of the observed colour from each source is computed against that source's own total (Bag I has 3+4=7 balls, Bag II has 5+6=11), so do not compare raw colour counts as if the totals were equal.
Common Mistakes
Mistake 1: Reporting P(red∣Bag II)=115 as the answer.
Why it's wrong: that is the likelihood (red given Bag II), not the required posterior P(Bag II∣red). Correct approach: apply Bayes' theorem to reverse the conditioning.
Mistake 2: Leaving Bag I out of the denominator.
Why it's wrong: the total probability of drawing a red ball must include contributions from both bags. Correct approach: denominator =P(B1)P(R∣B1)+P(B2)P(R∣B2).
Mistake 3: Comparing raw red-ball counts (5 vs 3).
Why it's wrong: the bags have different totals (7 vs 11), so counts are not comparable. Correct approach: use probabilities 73 and 115, each over its own bag's total.
Showing the 12 most recent of 88 on this concept.
- CBSE 2023Set 65/1/11 markMCQQ.If P(BA)=0.3, P(A)=0.4 and P(B)=0.8, then P(AB) is equal to:(a) 0.6(b) 0.3(c) 0.06(d) 0.4
›Reveal solutionSolution
Use the definition of conditional probability to find P(A∩B) from the given P(A∣B), then apply it again to compute P(B∣A). The answer is 0.6.
Understanding Conditional Probability
Conditional probability measures the likelihood of an event occurring given that another event has already occurred. The notation P(A∣B) reads as "the probability of A given B" and is defined as:
P(A∣B)=P(B)P(A∩B)
This formula tells us that to find the probability of A happening when we know B has happened, we look at the overlap between A and B relative to the size of B itself.
The key insight here is that both P(A∣B) and P(B∣A) depend on the same intersection P(A∩B), just normalized by different denominators. Once we know the intersection, we can compute either conditional probability.
Solution
1. Extract the intersection probability
We're given P(A∣B)=0.3, P(A)=0.4, and P(B)=0.8. Using the definition of conditional probability:
P(A∣B)=P(B)P(A∩B)
Substituting the known values:
0.3=0.8P(A∩B)
Solving for P(A∩B):
P(A∩B)=0.3×0.8=0.24
2. Compute the reverse conditional probability
Now we need P(B∣A), which by definition is:
P(B∣A)=P(A)P(A∩B)
We just found P(A∩B)=0.24, and we're given P(A)=0.4:
P(B∣A)=0.40.24=0.6
TipNotice that P(A∣B) and P(B∣A) are generally not equal. The relationship between them is given by Bayes' theorem: P(B∣A)=P(A)P(A∣B)⋅P(B). You could solve this problem in one step using that formula directly.
✓Final answerThe correct option is (a) 0.6.
- CBSE 2020Set 65/1/11 markQ.Two cards are drawn successively and without replacement from a well-shuffled deck of 52 cards. Find the probability that one card is red and the other is black.
›Reveal solutionSolution
The probability that one card is red and the other is black when drawing two cards without replacement is 5126. This comes from the fact that the first card can be either colour, and the second card must be the opposite colour — the order doesn't matter because the two favourable sequences are mutually exclusive and symmetric.
Why conditional probability is the natural tool here
When we draw without replacement, the outcome of the second draw depends on what happened in the first. That's exactly the situation conditional probability handles: P(A∩B)=P(A)⋅P(B∣A).
We want one red and one black. There are two ways this can happen:
- First red, then black.
- First black, then red.
These two sequences are mutually exclusive (they can't both happen in the same draw), so we can add their probabilities.
Step-by-step reasoning
1. Probability of first red, then black
- First card red: there are 26 red cards out of 52, so P(first red)=5226=21.
- After removing one red, 51 cards remain, of which 26 are black. So P(second black∣first red)=5126.
- Therefore:
P(red then black)=21×5126=10226=5113.
2. Probability of first black, then red
- First card black: 26 black out of 52, so P(first black)=21.
- After removing one black, 51 cards remain, of which 26 are red. So P(second red∣first black)=5126.
- Therefore:
P(black then red)=21×5126=5113.
3. Add the two mutually exclusive cases
P(one red, one black)=5113+5113=5126.
TipNotice that both sequences gave the same probability — that's no coincidence. Because the deck is symmetric in red and black, swapping colours doesn't change the numbers. So you could have just computed one case and doubled it.
Watch outA common mistake is to think the probability is 5226×5126=5113 — that's only one of the two orders. You must account for both sequences. The correct answer is twice that.
A neat alternative: thinking in combinations
If you prefer counting, here's another way:
- Total number of ways to draw 2 cards from 52: (252)=1326.
- Number of ways to get one red and one black: choose 1 red from 26 and 1 black from 26, so 26×26=676.
- Probability: 1326676=5126.
This confirms the same result — and it's faster if you're comfortable with combinations. But the conditional probability approach builds the intuition for dependent events, which is crucial for more complex problems.
✓Final answerThe required probability is 5126.
- CBSE 2025Set 65/1/11 markMCQQ.If E and F are two independent events such that P(E)=32, P(F)=73, then P(E/Fˉ) is equal to : (A) 61 (B) 21 (C) 32 (D) 97
›Reveal solutionSolution
For independent events, conditioning on the complement of one event does not change the probability of the other. Since E and F are independent, P(E∣Fˉ)=P(E)=32, which corresponds to option (C).
Why conditional probability and independence work together
The notation P(E/Fˉ) means P(E∣Fˉ) — the probability that E occurs, given that F does not occur. The natural instinct is to reach for the conditional probability formula:
P(E∣Fˉ)=P(Fˉ)P(E∩Fˉ)
But here’s the key: independence between E and F tells us something deeper. If two events are independent, then knowing whether F happened gives you zero information about E. That intuition extends to the complement too — if F doesn’t happen, it still tells you nothing about E.
So before doing any heavy algebra, we can already guess: the answer should be exactly P(E), unchanged.
Step-by-step reasoning
- State what independence means mathematically. For independent events E and F:
P(E∩F)=P(E)⋅P(F)
This is the definition. But independence also implies that E is independent of Fˉ — because if F gives no information about E, then not-F also gives no information. We can prove this quickly.
- Find P(E∩Fˉ) using the complement relationship. Any event E can be split into two disjoint parts: when F happens and when F does not happen.
E=(E∩F)∪(E∩Fˉ)
Since these two are mutually exclusive:
P(E)=P(E∩F)+P(E∩Fˉ)
Substitute P(E∩F)=P(E)P(F):
32=(32⋅73)+P(E∩Fˉ)
32=72+P(E∩Fˉ)
P(E∩Fˉ)=32−72=2114−6=218
- Find P(Fˉ).
P(Fˉ)=1−P(F)=1−73=74
- Apply the conditional probability formula.
P(E∣Fˉ)=P(Fˉ)P(E∩Fˉ)=4/78/21=218⋅47=8456=32
Exactly P(E), as expected.
TipFor independent events, P(E∣Fˉ)=P(E) always holds. You can skip the algebra once you’re confident — just check that the events are independent, then the conditional probability on the complement is the same as the original probability.
Watch outA common mistake is to treat P(E∣Fˉ) as 1−P(E∣F) — that is not true. Conditional probabilities don’t follow simple complement rules like that. Always go back to the definition.
✓Final answerThe correct option is (C) 32.
- CBSE 2024Set 65/3/11 markMCQQ.Let E and F be two events such that P(E)=0.1, P(F)=0.3, P(E∪F)=0.4, then P(F∣E) is: (A) 0.6 (B) 0.4 (C) 0.5 (D) 0
›Reveal solutionSolution
To find the conditional probability P(F∣E), we first determine the probability of the intersection P(E∩F) using the Addition Rule, and then divide by P(E). The events E and F are mutually exclusive, leading to P(E∩F)=0, so P(F∣E)=0.
When we talk about P(F∣E), we are asking for the probability that event F occurs, given that event E has already occurred. This is called conditional probability. The key idea here is that the sample space for event F is no longer the entire original sample space, but rather it is restricted to only those outcomes where event E has happened.
The formula for conditional probability is:
P(F∣E)=P(E)P(F∩E)
This formula tells us that the probability of F given E is the probability of both F and E happening, divided by the probability of E happening. We need to find P(F∩E) first, as P(E) is already given.
Let's break down the solution step-by-step.
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Identify Given Information and What's Needed:
We are given:
- P(E)=0.1
- P(F)=0.3
- P(E∪F)=0.4
We need to find P(F∣E). To use the conditional probability formula, we require P(F∩E) and P(E). We already have P(E).
-
Find the Probability of the Intersection, P(E∩F):
We can use the Addition Rule for probabilities, which relates the probabilities of the union, individual events, and their intersection:
P(E∪F)=P(E)+P(F)−P(E∩F)
We can rearrange this formula to solve for $P(E \cap F)$:P(E∩F)=P(E)+P(F)−P(E∪F)
Now, substitute the given values:P(E∩F)=0.1+0.3−0.4
P(E∩F)=0.4−0.4
P(E∩F)=0
> [!TIP] > When $P(E \cap F) = 0$, it means that events E and F cannot occur at the same time. Such events are called **mutually exclusive** events. In this case, the Addition Rule simplifies to $P(E \cup F) = P(E) + P(F)$. Notice that $0.1 + 0.3 = 0.4$, which matches $P(E \cup F)$, confirming that E and F are indeed mutually exclusive.3. Calculate the Conditional Probability, P(F∣E):
Now that we have P(E∩F)=0 and we are given P(E)=0.1, we can use the conditional probability formula:
P(F∣E)=P(E)P(F∩E)
Substitute the values:P(F∣E)=0.10
P(F∣E)=0
This result makes intuitive sense: if events E and F are mutually exclusive, meaning they cannot happen together, then if E has already occurred, it is impossible for F to also occur. Therefore, the probability of F given E is 0.4. Match with Options:
The calculated value P(F∣E)=0 corresponds to option (D).
✓Final answerThe value of P(F∣E) is 0.
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- CBSE 20201 markMCQQ.If A and B be two events such that P(A)=0.2, P(B)=0.4 and P(A∩B)=0.08, then P(A∣B) is (A) 0.02 (B) 0.2 (C) 0.4 (D) 0.08
›Reveal solutionSolution
Conditional probability P(A∣B) is the probability of A given B has occurred. Using the formula P(A∣B)=P(B)P(A∩B), we get 0.40.08=0.2. The correct option is (B).
The core idea here is conditional probability — the chance that event A happens, once we already know that event B has happened. This isn't the same as the plain probability of A; knowing B has occurred shrinks the "possible world" from everything to just the outcomes where B is true.
Think of it visually: imagine a rectangle representing all possible outcomes. A and B are overlapping circles inside it. P(A∣B) asks: out of the area of B, what fraction is also inside A? That fraction is exactly the overlap area P(A∩B) divided by the area of B, P(B).
P(A∣B)=P(B)P(A∩B)
This formula works only when P(B)>0, which is true here since P(B)=0.4.
Now let's plug in the numbers.
-
Identify the given values.
P(A)=0.2, P(B)=0.4, and P(A∩B)=0.08.
Notice that P(A∩B) is not zero — the events are not mutually exclusive. Also, 0.08=0.2×0.4, so A and B are actually independent events. But we don't need that fact here; the conditional formula works regardless.
-
Apply the conditional probability formula.
P(A∣B)=P(B)P(A∩B)=0.40.08
- Simplify the fraction.
0.08÷0.4=1008÷104=1008×410=40080=51=0.2
So P(A∣B)=0.2.
Watch outA common mistake is to confuse P(A∣B) with P(A∩B) or with P(A). Here, P(A∩B)=0.08 is a distractor — it's not the answer. Always divide by P(B).
TipSince P(A∩B)=P(A)⋅P(B) here, A and B are independent. For independent events, P(A∣B)=P(A). That gives the same answer 0.2 instantly — a useful shortcut if you spot independence.
✓Final answerThe value is 0.2, which corresponds to option (B).
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- CBSE 2020Set 65/1/11 markMCQQ.If A and B are two independent events, where P(A)=31 and P(B)=41, then P(B′∣A) is equal to (A) 41 (B) 31 (C) 43 (D) 1
›Reveal solutionSolution
For independent events, the occurrence of A gives no information about B, so P(B′∣A)=P(B′)=1−P(B)=43.
The key here is conditional probability — the probability that B does not happen, given that A has already happened. Many students rush to plug numbers into the conditional probability formula without first checking whether the events are independent. That’s where the trap lies.
When two events are independent, knowing that one has occurred tells you nothing about the other. So P(B∣A)=P(B). By the same logic, P(B′∣A)=P(B′). The condition “given A” becomes irrelevant.
Let’s walk through it formally.
- Recall the definition of conditional probability For any two events A and B (with P(A)>0):
P(B′∣A)=P(A)P(B′∩A)
This is always true. But we can simplify it if we know something about the relationship between A and B.
- Use the independence condition A and B are independent. That means:
P(A∩B)=P(A)⋅P(B)
Independence also extends to complements: if A and B are independent, then A and B′ are independent too.
Why? Because:
P(A∩B′)=P(A)−P(A∩B)=P(A)−P(A)P(B)=P(A)[1−P(B)]=P(A)P(B′)
So A and B′ are independent.
- Apply independence to the conditional probability Since A and B′ are independent:
P(B′∣A)=P(B′)
This is the cleanest path — no messy fraction needed.
- Compute P(B′) Given P(B)=41:
P(B′)=1−P(B)=1−41=43
Watch outA common mistake is to compute P(B′∣A)=P(A)P(B′∩A) without noticing independence, then incorrectly find P(B′∩A) by multiplying P(B′) and P(A) — which is correct here, but only because independence holds. The real shortcut is to recognise that independence makes the condition drop out entirely.
TipWhenever you see “independent events” in a conditional probability problem, ask yourself: Does the condition change anything? If the answer is no, you can replace the conditional probability with the unconditional one. This saves time and reduces errors.
✓Final answerThe value is 43, which corresponds to option (C).
- CBSE 2024Set 65/1/11 markMCQQ.If P(A∣B)=P(A′∣B), then which of the following statements is correct ? (A) P(A)=P(A′) (B) P(A)=2P(B) (C) P(A∩B)=21P(B) (D) P(A∩B)=2P(B)
›Reveal solutionSolution
The condition P(A∣B)=P(A′∣B) means that given B, events A and A′ are equally likely. This forces P(A∩B)=P(A′∩B), which simplifies to P(A∩B)=21P(B). The correct option is (C).
The key here is to understand what conditional probability actually says. P(A∣B) is the probability that A happens, given that B has already occurred. So when we say P(A∣B)=P(A′∣B), we are told that inside the world of B, the chance of A happening is exactly the same as the chance of A not happening. That means, within B, A and its complement are equally likely — each has probability 21 of occurring, conditional on B.
Let’s translate that into algebra.
- Write the definition of conditional probability for both sides:
P(A∣B)=P(B)P(A∩B),P(A′∣B)=P(B)P(A′∩B)
The given equality is:
P(B)P(A∩B)=P(B)P(A′∩B)
- Since P(B)>0 (otherwise conditional probability isn’t defined), we can multiply both sides by P(B) and get:
P(A∩B)=P(A′∩B)
- Now, note that A∩B and A′∩B are disjoint sets whose union is exactly B (because every outcome in B is either in A or not in A). So:
P(A∩B)+P(A′∩B)=P(B)
- Since the two probabilities are equal, let each be x. Then:
x+x=P(B)⇒2x=P(B)⇒x=21P(B)
But x=P(A∩B), so:
P(A∩B)=21P(B)
Watch outA common mistake is to jump from P(A∣B)=P(A′∣B) to P(A)=P(A′). That would only be true if A and B were independent, which we are not told. The condition is conditional on B, not global.
TipThe result P(A∩B)=21P(B) is actually saying: half of the probability of B lies in the overlap with A. This is a neat geometric intuition — B is split equally between A and its complement.
Now check the options:
- (A) P(A)=P(A′) — not necessarily true; we only know about probabilities inside B.
- (B) P(A)=2P(B) — no relation given.
- (C) P(A∩B)=21P(B) — exactly what we derived.
- (D) P(A∩B)=2P(B) — impossible since P(A∩B)≤P(B).
✓Final answerThe correct option is (C).
- CBSE 2026Set 65/1/11 markMCQQ.Assertion (A): In an experiment of throwing an unbiased die, the probability of getting a prime number given that the number appearing on the die is odd is 32. Reason (R): For any two events A and B, P(A∣B)=P(B)P(A∪B). (A) Both Assertion (A) and Reason (R) are true and Reason (R) is the correct explanation of the Assertion (A). (B) Both Assertion (A) and Reason (R) are true but Reason (R) is not the correct explanation of the Assertion (A). (C) Assertion (A) is true and Reason (R) is false. (D) Assertion (A) is false and Reason (R) is true.
›Reveal solutionSolution
The assertion is true: given the outcome is odd, the probability it is a prime is 32. The reason states the correct conditional probability formula. Since the reason directly justifies the calculation in the assertion, both are true and the reason is the correct explanation.
Concept first — Conditional probability asks: If we already know that event B has occurred, what is the probability that event A also occurs? The sample space shrinks from all possible outcomes to just those in B. The formula P(A∣B)=P(B)P(A∩B) is the precise way to compute this reduced probability.
Here, the die is unbiased, so each face {1,2,3,4,5,6} has probability 61. The assertion involves two events:
- A: the number is prime. On a die, the primes are 2,3,5.
- B: the number is odd. The odd numbers are 1,3,5.
The condition "given that the number is odd" means we restrict attention to B={1,3,5}. Among these three equally likely outcomes, the primes are 3 and 5 — that's two out of three. So the conditional probability is 32.
Now let's verify step by step using the formula in Reason (R).
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Define the events precisely.
A={2,3,5}, B={1,3,5}.
The sample space S={1,2,3,4,5,6}.
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Compute P(B).
B has 3 outcomes, each with probability 61, so P(B)=63=21.
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Compute P(A∩B).
A∩B = numbers that are both prime and odd = {3,5}. That's 2 outcomes, so P(A∩B)=62=31.
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Apply the formula from Reason (R).
P(A∣B)=P(B)P(A∩B)=1/21/3=31×12=32.
This matches the assertion exactly.
Watch outA common mistake is to forget that the condition reduces the sample space. Some students count primes among all six numbers (3 primes) and odd numbers among all six (3 odds), then incorrectly write 33=1 or 63÷63=1. The formula forces you to consider only the overlap, which correctly gives 32.
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Check the truth of Reason (R).
The formula P(A∣B)=P(B)P(A∩B) is the standard definition of conditional probability (provided P(B)=0). It is always true. So Reason (R) is true.
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Does Reason (R) correctly explain Assertion (A)?
Yes — the assertion's value 32 is obtained directly by substituting the probabilities into this formula. The reason is not just a true statement; it is the very tool used to verify the assertion.
TipWhen both assertion and reason are true, and the reason is the principle that justifies the assertion, the answer is option (A). If the reason were true but irrelevant to the assertion, it would be option (B).
✓Final answerThe correct option is (A) — Both Assertion (A) and Reason (R) are true and Reason (R) is the correct explanation of the Assertion (A).
- CBSE 2026Set V11 markQ.Choose from [0,3,−1,2,−2,1]. If F is an event of a sample space S then P(S∣F)= ____.
›Reveal solutionSolution
Since S∩F=F, the conditional probability P(S∣F)=1.
By the definition of conditional probability (with P(F)=0),
P(S∣F)=P(F)P(S∩F).
The sample space S contains every outcome, so S∩F=F and P(S∩F)=P(F). Therefore
P(S∣F)=P(F)P(F)=1.
✓Final answer1
- CBSE 2026Set CX1 markMCQQ.If 3P(A)=P(B)=135 and P(A/B)=52, then P(A∪B) will be:(a) 3920(b) 3916(c) 3911(d) 3914
›Reveal solutionSolution
Using P(A∩B)=P(A/B)P(B) and the addition rule gives P(A∪B)=3914 — option (d).
Given: 3P(A)=P(B)=135 and P(A/B)=52.
So P(B)=135 and P(A)=31⋅135=395.
Intersection (multiplication rule):
P(A∩B)=P(A/B)P(B)=52⋅135=132.
Union (addition rule), with common denominator 39:
P(A∪B)=P(A)+P(B)−P(A∩B)=395+3915−396=3914.
✓Final answerOption (d) P(A∪B)=3914.
- CBSE 2026Set A1 markMCQQ.P(A)=137, P(B)=139, P(A∩B)=134⇒P(A/B)=(a) 94(b) 74(c) 1312(d) 61
›Reveal solutionSolution
P(A∣B)=94.
Use the conditional-probability definition:
P(A∣B)=P(B)P(A∩B).
Substitute the given values:
P(A∣B)=139134=134⋅913=94.
✓Final answer(a) 94.
- CBSE 2026Set ANNUAL1 markMCQQ.If P(B)=0.5 and P(A∩B)=0.32, then write the value of P(A∣B).(a) 2315(b) 2516(c) 2716(d) 2316
›Reveal solutionSolution
By the definition of conditional probability, P(A∣B)=P(B)P(A∩B)=2516.
The conditional probability of A given B is defined as
P(A∣B)=P(B)P(A∩B),P(B)eq0
Substituting the given values P(B)=0.5 and P(A∩B)=0.32:
P(A∣B)=0.50.32=0.64=10064=2516
✓Final answerThe correct option is (b) 2516.
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