Chapter 27: Problem 19
An unbiased coin is tossed. If the outcome is a head then a pair of unbiased dice is rolled and the sum of the numbers obtained on them is noted. If the toss of the coin results in tail then a card from a well-shuffled pack of nine cards numbered \(1,2,3, \ldots, 9\) is randomly picked and the number is èitheer 7 or 8 is: (a) \(\frac{13}{36}\) (b) \(\frac{15}{72}\) (c) \(\frac{19}{72}\) (d) \(\frac{19}{36}\)
Short Answer
Step by step solution
Understand the Probability of Coin Toss
Calculate Probability for Sum (7 or 8) with Dice
Calculate Probability to Pick Card 7 or 8
Compute Total Probability for 7 or 8
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Key Concepts
These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.
Unbiased Coin
The probability of getting either a head or a tail in a single toss is therefore \(\frac{1}{2}\). This forms the basis for many probability problems, as an unbiased coin provides a straightforward 50-50 chance of each outcome.
Dice Probability
This probability is \(\frac{1}{6}\) for any single outcome (e.g., rolling a 3). When rolling two dice, there are \(6 \times 6 = 36\) possible outcomes.
- For example, to get a sum of 7, you have six combinations: (1,6), (2,5), (3,4), (4,3), (5,2), and (6,1).
- To get a sum of 8, there are five combinations: (2,6), (3,5), (4,4), (5,3), and (6,2).
Card Probability
For a set of nine cards numbered 1 through 9, each card has an equal probability of being picked, that is \( \frac{1}{9} \).
If the task is to draw either a 7 or an 8, there are two favorable choices (7 and 8), making the probability of drawing one of these specific cards \( \frac{2}{9} \). This straightforward calculation is a basic example of calculating probability with cards.
Sum of Dice
The probability of achieving any specific sum depends on how many combinations can yield that sum.
For a sum of 7 or 8, which are among the more frequently occurring sums, identifying the number of combinations helps calculate their probabilities:
- Sum of 7: 6 combinations.
- Sum of 8: 5 combinations.
Random Selection
For instance, drawing a card from a shuffled deck or tossing a coin introduces randomness, ensuring that no outcome is overly dependent on previous events. It’s important for ensuring fairness and balance in probability exercises.
When dealing with the cards numbered 1 to 9, random selection guarantees that picking occurs without bias, making calculating probability a straightforward exercise.
Favorability in Probability
To determine favorability, count how many ways a particular event can occur - these are your 'favorable' outcomes.
For example, discovering the probability of tossing a coin for a head involves one favorable outcome (the head) out of two possible outcomes, resulting in a probability of \( \frac{1}{2} \).
- For dice, finding the sum of 7 or 8 involves counting all combinations that can produce these sums as mentioned previously.
- In card selection, determining how likely it is to pick a 7 or 8 involves two favorable cards out of the nine.