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Urn I contains 2 white and 4 red balls, whereas urn II contains 1 white and 1 red ball. A ball is randomly chosen from urn I and put into urn II, and a ball is then randomly selected from urn II. What is (a) the probability that the ball selected from urn II is white? (b) the conditional probability that the transferred ball was white given that a white ball is selected from urn II?

Short Answer

Expert verified
(a) The probability that the ball selected from urn II is white is \( \frac{1}{3} \). (b) The conditional probability that the transferred ball was white given that a white ball is selected from urn II is \( \frac{2}{3} \).

Step by step solution

01

Identify the event of interest

The event of interest is selecting a white ball from urn II. We denote this event as W2.
02

Identify possible events for transferring the ball from urn I to urn II

There are two possible events for transferring a ball from urn I to urn II: transferring a white ball (W1) or transferring a red ball (R1).
03

Calculate the probability of each transfer event

In order to calculate the probability of transferring a white ball (P(W1)) and transferring a red ball (P(R1)), we count the number of white and red balls in urn I and divide this by the total number of balls in urn I: P(W1) = \( \frac{2}{2+4} = \frac{1}{3} \) P(R1) = \( \frac{4}{2+4} = \frac{2}{3} \)
04

Calculate the probability of selecting a white ball from urn II given each transfer event

If a white ball is transferred (W1), urn II will have 2 white balls and 1 red ball. The probability of selecting a white ball from urn II given W1 is denoted as P(W2|W1) and is computed as: P(W2|W1) = \( \frac{2}{2+1} = \frac{2}{3} \) If a red ball is transferred (R1), urn II will have 1 white ball and 2 red balls. The probability of selecting a white ball from urn II given R1 is denoted as P(W2|R1) and is computed as: P(W2|R1) = \( \frac{1}{1+2} = \frac{1}{3} \)
05

Calculate the probability of selecting a white ball from urn II (P(W2))

Using the Law of Total Probability, we can calculate P(W2) as the sum of the probabilities of selecting a white ball from urn II given each transfer event multiplied by the probability of each transfer event: P(W2) = P(W2|W1) * P(W1) + P(W2|R1) * P(R1) P(W2) = \( \frac{2}{3} * \frac{1}{3} + \frac{1}{3} * \frac{2}{3} = \frac{1}{3} \) Answer for (a): The probability that the ball selected from urn II is white is 1/3.
06

Calculate the conditional probability

For part (b), we are asked to find the conditional probability that the transferred ball was white (W1) given that a white ball is selected from urn II (W2). We can use Bayes' theorem to compute the conditional probability P(W1|W2) as follows: P(W1|W2) = \( \frac{P(W2|W1) * P(W1)}{P(W2)} \) Plugging in the probabilities we have calculated, we get: P(W1|W2) = \( \frac{ \frac{2}{3} * \frac{1}{3} }{ \frac{1}{3} } = \frac{2}{3} \) Answer for (b): The conditional probability that the transferred ball was white given that a white ball is selected from urn II is 2/3.

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Key Concepts

These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.

Conditional Probability
Conditional probability is a way to find the probability of an event happening, given that another event has already occurred. Think of it as a clue that sheds light on future events. For instance, if we know a white ball is chosen from urn II, we might wonder what the probability is that the transferred ball was white too. This is exactly what conditional probability helps answer. It's about using what you know now to predict the future.Here's the essential formula for conditional probability: \[ P(A|B) = \frac{P(A \cap B)}{P(B)} \]Here, \(P(A|B)\) denotes the probability of event A given that B has occurred. It's essential for problems where one result informs another.
  • Use it when an earlier outcome affects the next.
  • Always look for how events are linked.
  • Calculate based on "what if" scenarios.
Law of Total Probability
The Law of Total Probability is a fundamental rule that helps in cases where multiple outcomes lead to a final event. It systematically breaks down the overall probability of an event by considering all the ways that event could occur. Think of it as calculating the big picture by adding up all the smaller pieces.In our urn problem, we're figuring out the probability of picking a white ball from urn II after transferring a ball from urn I. We do this by summing the chances of picking a white ball in all different scenarios—whether we transferred a white or a red ball to urn II.The formula it follows is:\[ P(B) = \sum P(B|A_i) \times P(A_i) \]Where \(A_i\) are all possible events that lead to event B. This law helps ensure all potential paths to an outcome are considered.
Bayes' Theorem
Bayes' Theorem ties in nicely with conditional probability, offering a structured way to update our beliefs based on new evidence. It's extremely powerful in resolving issues where we want to reverse the given condition, like in our urn case.The theorem allows us to calculate:\[ P(A|B) = \frac{P(B|A) \times P(A)}{P(B)} \]With Bayes' Theorem, you can determine a posterior probability (updated belief) by considering prior knowledge and new data.Why is it essential?
  • It updates beliefs with new information.
  • Balances prior knowledge and fresh data.
  • Highly useful in decision making under uncertainty.
In our context, knowing a white ball was picked tells us more about the type of ball transferred. This theorem is a staple in statistics, allowing a shift in perspective.
Random Selection
Random selection forms the foundation of probability theory. It means that each item in a set has an equal chance of being chosen. In the urn problem, picking a ball from urn I and then urn II is done randomly, ensuring fairness and unpredictability. Imagine reaching into a bag filled with sweets without looking — every sweet has a chance to be selected. This randomness is crucial to providing every outcome an equal standing.
  • Guarantees fairness by giving every item an equal shot.
  • Used to model unpredictable systems or events.
  • Forms the base of unbiased sampling.
Random selection enables us to model real-world scenarios and make predictions that reflect possible outcomes.
Probability Calculation
Probability calculation is at the heart of interpreting uncertainty, allowing us to quantify the likelihood of various events. It involves systematic steps to compute the chance of occurrences.To solve the urn problem, here's what was calculated:
  • The probability of transferring each color ball.
  • The probability of picking a white ball from urn II, regardless of which was transferred.
  • These individual probabilities to find the overall chance of getting a white ball in the end.
The basic formula to remember is:\[ P(A) = \frac{Number \ of \ Favorable \ Outcomes}{Total \ Number \ of \ Possible \ Outcomes} \]Probability calculations allow for logically structured predictions, providing insight into real-life uncertainty.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

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