Q.A number is selected from the set {1,2,3,…,20}. The probability that the selected number is divisible by 3 or 4 is
Concept understanding — Addition Theorem
Working directly from the three axioms of probability, four theorems give the tools used to combine probabilities of related events.
Theorem 12.3 (impossible event). P(∅)=0 -- since S=S∪∅ with S,∅ mutually exclusive, axiom [P2] gives P(S)=P(S)+P(∅), so P(∅)=0.
Theorem 12.4 (complement rule). P(Aˉ)=1−P(A) -- since A∪Aˉ=S with A,Aˉ mutually exclusive, P(A)+P(Aˉ)=P(S)=1.
Theorem 12.5 (only-A rule). P(A∩Bˉ)=P(A)−P(A∩B) -- the part of A that misses B has probability 'all of A' minus 'the overlap with B', since (A∩Bˉ)∪(A∩B)=A with the two pieces mutually exclusive.
Theorem 12.6 -- the Addition Theorem. For any two events A,B:
P(A∪B)=P(A)+P(B)−P(A∩B).
The idea: adding P(A) and P(B) counts the overlap A∩B twice, so it is subtracted back out once. When A,B are mutually exclusive, P(A∩B)=0 and this collapses to the simpler additivity axiom. The theorem extends to three events:
P(A∪B∪C)=P(A)+P(B)+P(C)−P(A∩B)−P(B∩C)−P(C∩A)+P(A∩B∩C).
De Morgan corollaries. Applying the complement rule to the addition theorem gives P(Aˉ∩Bˉ)=1−P(A∪B) (neither A nor B occurs) and P(Aˉ∪Bˉ)=1−P(A∩B) (at least one of A,B fails to occur).
Addition Theorem: count multiples of 3, of 4, and of 12 (both) out of 20.
21, option (3).
Step 1. Count each. Multiples of 3 in 1-20: 6 (3,6,9,12,15,18). Multiples of 4: 5 (4,8,12,16,20). Multiples of 12 (both 3 and 4): 1 (12).
Step 2. Addition Theorem. P(3 or 4)=206+5−1=2010=21.
P=21 -- option (3).
Addition Theorem P(A∪B)=P(A)+P(B)−P(A∩B) applied to divisibility counts.
- Adding the counts for 3 and 4 without subtracting the overlap (multiples of 12), over-counting.
- CBSE 2026Set ANNUAL1 markMCQQ.A number is selected from the set {1,2,3,…,20}. The Probability that the selected number is divisible by 3 or 4 is:(a) 21(b) 52(c) 32(d) 81
›Reveal solutionSolution
Among 1 to 20, there are 6 multiples of 3, 5 multiples of 4, and 1 multiple of both (12); by inclusion-exclusion that's 10 numbers, giving probability 10/20 = 1/2.
Multiples of 3 in {1,…,20}: 3,6,9,12,15,18 — 6 numbers.
Multiples of 4: 4,8,12,16,20 — 5 numbers.
Multiples of both 3 and 4 (i.e. of 12): 12 — 1 number.
By inclusion-exclusion, numbers divisible by 3 or 4 =6+5−1=10.
P(divisible by 3 or 4)=2010=21.
✓Final answerThe correct option is (a) 21.
- CBSE 2025Set ANNUAL1 markMCQQ.If A and B are any two events, then the probability that exactly one of them occurs is:(a) P(A)+P(B)−P(A∩B)(b) P(A∪Bˉ)+P(Aˉ∪B)(c) P(A)+P(B)+2P(A∩B)(d) P(A∩Bˉ)+P(Aˉ∩B)
›Reveal solutionSolution
"Exactly one occurs" splits into two mutually exclusive cases: A but not B, or B but not A.
The event "exactly one of A, B occurs" is (A∩Bˉ)∪(Aˉ∩B). These two events are mutually exclusive (they can't both happen), so by the addition rule,
P(exactly one)=P(A∩Bˉ)+P(Aˉ∩B).
✓Final answerThe correct option is (d) P(A∩Bˉ)+P(Aˉ∩B).
- CBSE 2024Set ANNUAL1 markMCQQ.If two events A and B are such that P(Aˉ)=103 and P(A∩Bˉ)=21 then P(A∩B) is:(a) 41(b) 21(c) 51(d) 31
›Reveal solutionSolution
P(A∩B)=51.
Since P(Aˉ)=103, we get P(A)=1−103=107.
Event A splits into the disjoint parts A∩B and A∩Bˉ, so
P(A)=P(A∩B)+P(A∩Bˉ).
Given P(A∩Bˉ)=21:
107=P(A∩B)+21 ⇒ P(A∩B)=107−105=102=51.
✓Final answerP(A∩B)=51 — option (c).
- CBSE 2023Set ANNUAL1 markQ.The probability of an event A occurring is 0.5 and B occurring is 0.3. If A and B are mutually exclusive events, then find P(A∪B).
›Reveal solutionSolution
Mutually exclusive events cannot occur together, so P(A∩B)=0 and the union rule simplifies to a plain sum.
For any two events: P(A∪B)=P(A)+P(B)−P(A∩B).
Since A and B are mutually exclusive, P(A∩B)=0:
P(A∪B)=P(A)+P(B)=0.5+0.3=0.8
✓Final answerP(A∪B)=0.8.
- CBSE 2023Set ANNUAL1 markQ.The probability of an event A occurring is 0.5 and B occurring is 0.3. If A and B are mutually exclusive events, then find P(A∩Bˉ).
›Reveal solutionSolution
Since A and B share no outcomes, every outcome of A automatically lies outside B, so A∩Bˉ=A.
Mutually exclusive means A∩B=∅ — no outcome belongs to both. So every outcome in A is necessarily NOT in B, meaning A⊆Bˉ.
Therefore A∩Bˉ=A, and:
P(A∩Bˉ)=P(A)=0.5
✓Final answerP(A∩Bˉ)=0.5.
- CBSE 2023Set ANNUAL1 markQ.The probability of an event A occurring is 0.5 and B occurring is 0.3. If A and B are mutually exclusive events, then find P(Aˉ∩B).
›Reveal solutionSolution
Since A∩B=∅, every outcome of B lies outside A, so Aˉ∩B=B.
Mutually exclusive means A∩B=∅, so B⊆Aˉ (no outcome of B is in A).
Therefore Aˉ∩B=B, and:
P(Aˉ∩B)=P(B)=0.3
✓Final answerP(Aˉ∩B)=0.3.
- CBSE 2020Set ANNUAL1 markMCQQ.If A and B are any two events, then the probability that exactly one of them occur is:(a) P(A∪Bˉ)+P(Aˉ∪B)(b) P(A∩Bˉ)+P(Aˉ∩B)(c) P(A)+P(B)−P(A∩B)(d) P(A)+P(B)+2P(A∩B)
›Reveal solutionSolution
'Exactly one occurs' splits into two disjoint cases whose probabilities simply add.
'Exactly one of A and B occurs' means either (A occurs and B does not) or (B occurs and A does not). In set notation these are A∩Bˉ (A but not B) and Aˉ∩B (B but not A). These two events are mutually exclusive (they cannot both happen at once), so by the addition rule for disjoint events:
P(exactly one)=P(A∩Bˉ)+P(Aˉ∩B).
This is distinct from P(A)+P(B)−P(A∩B), which is P(A∪B) (at least one occurs, including both).
✓Final answerThe correct option is (b) P(A∩Bˉ)+P(Aˉ∩B).
- CBSE 2019Set ANNUAL1 markMCQQ.A number is selected from the set {1,2,3,…,20}. The probability that the selected number is divisible by 3 or 4 is:(a) 21(b) 32(c) 52(d) 81
›Reveal solutionSolution
Count multiples of 3 (6 numbers), multiples of 4 (5 numbers), subtract the overlap — multiples of 12 (1 number) — to get 10 favourable outcomes out of 20, so the probability is 1/2.
Multiples of 3 in {1,…,20}: 3,6,9,12,15,18 — that's ⌊20/3⌋=6 numbers.
Multiples of 4: 4,8,12,16,20 — that's ⌊20/4⌋=5 numbers.
Multiples of both 3 and 4, i.e. multiples of 12: 12 — that's ⌊20/12⌋=1 number.
By inclusion–exclusion, numbers divisible by 3 or 4 =6+5−1=10.
Probability =2010=21.
✓Final answerThe correct option is (a) 21.
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