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NSC / Matric Probability — practice questions

Explore 31 free Probability questions in NSC / Matric Mathematics. Open each question or exercise to read its content, reference answers and available explanation.

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Probability questions and exercises with answers

Showing questions 1–30 of 31.

What does it mean for two events to be mutually exclusive?Read the answer and worked solution →Two events are described as independent. What does that mean?Read the answer and worked solution →Why is the fundamental counting principle used instead of a tree diagram for large problems?Read the answer and worked solution →Two events are known to be mutually exclusive. What does that tell you about whether they are independent?Read the answer and worked solution →A four digit PIN is made from the digits 0 to 9. How many more PINs are possible if digits may repeat than if they may not?Read the answer and worked solution →Complete the definition of conditional probabilityRead the answer and worked solution →True or false: conditional probabilityRead the answer and worked solution →Independent or mutually exclusive?Read the answer and worked solution →Match each rule to its nameRead the answer and worked solution →IndependenceRead the answer and worked solution →Order the steps for a Bayes' theorem questionRead the answer and worked solution →Complete the conditions for a partitionRead the answer and worked solution →True or false: independence versus exclusivityRead the answer and worked solution →Assertion and reasonRead the answer and worked solution →Tap every statement that follows from independenceRead the answer and worked solution →The multiplication ruleRead the answer and worked solution →Spot the one that does not belongRead the answer and worked solution →Two are true, one is notRead the answer and worked solution →Three of these are wrong. Find the one that holds.Read the answer and worked solution →Complete the theorem of total probabilityRead the answer and worked solution →Which theorem answers which question?Read the answer and worked solution →True or false: total probability and BayesRead the answer and worked solution →Match each historical figure to their contributionRead the answer and worked solution →The Historical NoteRead the answer and worked solution →Flip and pair: notation with meaningRead the answer and worked solution →Order the reasoning: from a partition to a posteriorRead the answer and worked solution →Tap every quantity that is a probabilityRead the answer and worked solution →Spot the odd one outRead the answer and worked solution →Assertion and reason: the multiplication ruleRead the answer and worked solution →True or false: the Historical NoteRead the answer and worked solution →

Worked practice questions

What does it mean for two events to be mutually exclusive?

  1. They cannot both happen
  2. They must both happen
  3. They happen one after another
  4. They have the same chance
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Correct answer: A. They cannot both happen

1. Mutually exclusive events share no outcomes at all. 2. So there is no outcome that puts both events into play at the same time. 3. Rolling a number that is both even and odd is impossible, so those two events are mutually exclusive. 4. The probability that both occur together is therefore zero. _Source: Siyavula Mathematics Grade 12 (Everything Maths, CC BY 4.0), Chapter 10: Probability_

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Two events are described as independent. What does that mean?

  1. One always follows the other
  2. One does not affect the other
  3. One rules the other one out
  4. One is more likely than other
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Correct answer: B. One does not affect the other

1. Independence is about influence, not about timing. 2. Two events are independent when the outcome of the first does not change the chances for the second. 3. Flipping a coin twice is the standard example, since the first result changes nothing. 4. Drawing sweets from a box without replacing them is dependent, since the choices shrink. _Source: Siyavula Mathematics Grade 12 (Everything Maths, CC BY 4.0), Chapter 10: Probability_

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Why is the fundamental counting principle used instead of a tree diagram for large problems?

  1. Trees give the wrong answer
  2. Trees need a calculator too
  3. Too many outcomes to list
  4. Trees cannot show two events
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Correct answer: C. Too many outcomes to list

1. A tree diagram draws one branch for every possible outcome at every stage. 2. Three coin flips already produce eight end branches. 3. Six coin flips produce sixty four, and the drawing becomes impractical. 4. The counting principle multiplies the numbers of choices instead of drawing them. 5. A tree diagram gives the right answer when it can be drawn, so accuracy is not the issue. _Source: Siyavula Mathematics Grade 12 (Everything Maths, CC BY 4.0), Chapter 10: Probability_

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More Mathematics topics

Sequences and SeriesBinomial TheoremCorrelation and RegressionGeometryLinear ProgrammingMeanMedianPermcomb