NCERT Solutions for Class 12 Maths Chapter 13 – Probability Ex 13.4
Page No 569:
Question 1:
State which of the following are not the probability distributions of a random variable. Give reasons for your answer.
(i)
- X012P (X)0.40.40.2
(ii)
- X01234P (X)0.10.50.2− 0.10.3
(iii)
- Y
−1 01P (Y)0.60.10.2
(iv)
- Z3210−1P (Z)0.30.20.40.10.05
Answer:
It is known that the sum of all the probabilities in a probability distribution is one.
(i) Sum of the probabilities = 0.4 + 0.4 + 0.2 = 1
Therefore, the given table is a probability distribution of random variables.
(ii) It can be seen that for X = 3, P (X) = −0.1
It is known that probability of any observation is not negative. Therefore, the given table is not a probability distribution of random variables.
(iii) Sum of the probabilities = 0.6 + 0.1 + 0.2 = 0.9 ≠ 1
Therefore, the given table is not a probability distribution of random variables.
(iv) Sum of the probabilities = 0.3 + 0.2 + 0.4 + 0.1 + 0.05 = 1.05 ≠ 1
Therefore, the given table is not a probability distribution of random variables.
Page No 570:
Question 2:
An urn contains 5 red and 2 black balls. Two balls are randomly drawn. Let X represents the number of black balls. What are the possible values of X? Is X a random variable?
Answer:
The two balls selected can be represented as BB, BR, RB, RR, where B represents a black ball and R represents a red ball.
X represents the number of black balls.
∴X (BB) = 2
X (BR) = 1
X (RB) = 1
X (RR) = 0
Therefore, the possible values of X are 0, 1, and 2.
Yes, X is a random variable.
Question 3:
Let X represents the difference between the number of heads and the number of tails obtained when a coin is tossed 6 times. What are possible values of X?
Answer:
A coin is tossed six times and X represents the difference between the number of heads and the number of tails.
∴ X (6 H, 0T) 

X (5 H, 1 T) 

X (4 H, 2 T) 

X (3 H, 3 T) 

X (2 H, 4 T) 

X (1 H, 5 T) 

X (0H, 6 T)

Thus, the possible values of X are 6, 4, 2, and 0.
Question 4:
Find the probability distribution of
(i) number of heads in two tosses of a coin
(ii) number of tails in the simultaneous tosses of three coins
(iii) number of heads in four tosses of a coin
Answer:
(i) When one coin is tossed twice, the sample space is
{HH, HT, TH, TT}
Let X represent the number of heads.
∴ X (HH) = 2, X (HT) = 1, X (TH) = 1, X (TT) = 0
Therefore, X can take the value of 0, 1, or 2.
It is known that,

P (X = 0) = P (TT) 

P (X = 1) = P (HT) + P (TH)

P (X = 2) = P (HH)

Thus, the required probability distribution is as follows.
- X012P (X)
(ii) When three coins are tossed simultaneously, the sample space is 

Let X represent the number of tails.
It can be seen that X can take the value of 0, 1, 2, or 3.
P (X = 0) = P (HHH) = 

P (X = 1) = P (HHT) + P (HTH) + P (THH) = 

P (X = 2) = P (HTT) + P (THT) + P (TTH) = 

P (X = 3) = P (TTT) = 

Thus, the probability distribution is as follows.
- X0123P (X)
(iii) When a coin is tossed four times, the sample space is

Let X be the random variable, which represents the number of heads.
It can be seen that X can take the value of 0, 1, 2, 3, or 4.
P (X = 0) = P (TTTT) = 

P (X = 1) = P (TTTH) + P (TTHT) + P (THTT) + P (HTTT)
= 

P (X = 2) = P (HHTT) + P (THHT) + P (TTHH) + P (HTTH) + P (HTHT)
+ P (THTH)
= 

P (X = 3) = P (HHHT) + P (HHTH) + P (HTHH) P (THHH)
= 

P (X = 4) = P (HHHH) = 

Thus, the probability distribution is as follows.
- X01234P (X)
Question 5:
Find the probability distribution of the number of successes in two tosses of a die, where a success is defined as
(i) number greater than 4
(ii) six appears on at least one die
Answer:
When a die is tossed two times, we obtain (6 × 6) = 36 number of observations.
Let X be the random variable, which represents the number of successes.
- Here, success refers to the number greater than 4.
P (X = 0) = P (number less than or equal to 4 on both the tosses) = 

P (X = 1) = P (number less than or equal to 4 on first toss and greater than 4 on second toss) + P (number greater than 4 on first toss and less than or equal to 4 on second toss)

P (X = 2) = P (number greater than 4 on both the tosses)

Thus, the probability distribution is as follows.
- X012P (X)
(ii) Here, success means six appears on at least one die.
P (Y = 0 ) = P (six appears on none of the dice) =
56 × 56 = 2536P (Y = 1) = P (six appears on at least one of the dice) =
16 × 56 + 56 × 16 +16 × 16 =1136
Thus, the required probability distribution is as follows.
- Y01P (Y)25361136
Question 6:
From a lot of 30 bulbs which include 6 defectives, a sample of 4 bulbs is drawn at random with replacement. Find the probability distribution of the number of defective bulbs.
Answer:
It is given that out of 30 bulbs, 6 are defective.
⇒ Number of non-defective bulbs = 30 − 6 = 24
4 bulbs are drawn from the lot with replacement.
Let X be the random variable that denotes the number of defective bulbs in the selected bulbs.


P (X = 1) = P (3 non-defective and 1 defective) 

P (X = 2) = P (2 non-defective and 2 defective) 

P (X = 3) = P (1 non-defective and 3 defective) 

P (X = 4) = P (0 non-defective and 4 defective) 

Therefore, the required probability distribution is as follows.
X
|
0
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4
|
P (X)
| ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() |
Question 7:
A coin is biased so that the head is 3 times as likely to occur as tail. If the coin is tossed twice, find the probability distribution of number of tails.
Answer:
Let the probability of getting a tail in the biased coin be x.
∴ P (T) = x
⇒ P (H) = 3x
For a biased coin, P (T) + P (H) = 1

When the coin is tossed twice, the sample space is {HH, TT, HT, TH}.
Let X be the random variable representing the number of tails.
∴ P (X = 0) = P (no tail) = P (H) × P (H)

P (X = 1) = P (one tail) = P (HT) + P (TH)

P (X = 2) = P (two tails) = P (TT) 

Therefore, the required probability distribution is as follows.
X
|
0
|
1
|
2
|
P (X)
| ![]() | ![]() | ![]() |
Question 8:
A random variable X has the following probability distribution.
X
|
0
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4
|
5
|
6
|
7
|
P (X)
|
0
|
k
|
2k
|
2k
|
3k
|
k2
|
2k2
|
7k2 + k
|
Determine
(i) k
(ii) P (X < 3)
(iii) P (X > 6)
(iv) P (0 < X < 3)
Answer:
(i) It is known that the sum of probabilities of a probability distribution of random variables is one.

k = − 1 is not possible as the probability of an event is never negative.
∴ 

(ii) P (X < 3) = P (X = 0) + P (X = 1) + P (X = 2)

(iii) P (X > 6) = P (X = 7)

(iv) P (0 < X < 3) = P (X = 1) + P (X = 2)

Page No 571:
Question 9:
The random variable X has probability distribution P(X) of the following form, where k is some number:

(a) Determine the value of k.
(b) Find P(X < 2), P(X ≥ 2), P(X ≥ 2).
Answer:
(a) It is known that the sum of probabilities of a probability distribution of random variables is one.
∴ k + 2k + 3k + 0 = 1
⇒ 6k = 1
⇒ k =

(b) P(X < 2) = P(X = 0) + P(X = 1)



Question 10:
Find the mean number of heads in three tosses of a fair coin.
Answer:
Let X denote the success of getting heads.
Therefore, the sample space is
S = {HHH, HHT, HTH, HTT, THH, THT, TTH, TTT}
It can be seen that X can take the value of 0, 1, 2, or 3.

∴ P (X = 1) = P (HHT) + P (HTH) + P (THH)

∴P(X = 2) = P (HHT) + P (HTH) + P (THH)


Therefore, the required probability distribution is as follows.
X |
0
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
P(X)
| ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() |
Mean of X E(X), µ =


Question 11:
Two dice are thrown simultaneously. If X denotes the number of sixes, find the expectation of X.
Answer:
Here, X represents the number of sixes obtained when two dice are thrown simultaneously. Therefore, X can take the value of 0, 1, or 2.
∴ P (X = 0) = P (not getting six on any of the dice) = 

P (X = 1) = P (six on first die and no six on second die) + P (no six on first die and six on second die)

P (X = 2) = P (six on both the dice) =

Therefore, the required probability distribution is as follows.
X
|
0
|
1
|
2
|
P(X)
| ![]() | ![]() | ![]() |
Then, expectation of X = E(X) =


Question 12:
Two numbers are selected at random (without replacement) from the first six positive integers. Let X denotes the larger of the two numbers obtained. Find E(X).
Answer:
The two positive integers can be selected from the first six positive integers without replacement in 6 × 5 = 30 ways
X represents the larger of the two numbers obtained. Therefore, X can take the value of 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6.
For X = 2, the possible observations are (1, 2) and (2, 1).

For X = 3, the possible observations are (1, 3), (2, 3), (3, 1), and (3, 2).

For X = 4, the possible observations are (1, 4), (2, 4), (3, 4), (4, 3), (4, 2), and (4, 1).

For X = 5, the possible observations are (1, 5), (2, 5), (3, 5), (4, 5), (5, 4), (5, 3), (5, 2), and (5, 1).

For X = 6, the possible observations are (1, 6), (2, 6), (3, 6), (4, 6), (5, 6), (6,5) , (6, 4), (6, 3), (6, 2), and (6, 1).

Therefore, the required probability distribution is as follows.
X
|
2
|
3
|
4
|
5
|
6
|
P(X)
| ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() |

Question 13:
Let X denotes the sum of the numbers obtained when two fair dice are rolled. Find the variance and standard deviation of X.
Answer:
When two fair dice are rolled, 6 × 6 = 36 observations are obtained.
P(X = 2) = P(1, 1) =

P(X = 3) = P (1, 2) + P(2, 1) =

P(X = 4) = P(1, 3) + P(2, 2) + P(3, 1) =

P(X = 5) = P(1, 4) + P(2, 3) + P(3, 2) + P(4, 1) =

P(X = 6) = P(1, 5) + P (2, 4) + P(3, 3) + P(4, 2) + P(5, 1) =

P(X = 7) = P(1, 6) + P(2, 5) + P(3, 4) + P(4, 3) + P(5, 2) + P(6, 1)

P(X = 8) = P(2, 6) + P(3, 5) + P(4, 4) + P(5, 3) + P(6, 2) =

P(X = 9) = P(3, 6) + P(4, 5) + P(5, 4) + P(6, 3) =

P(X = 10) = P(4, 6) + P(5, 5) + P(6, 4) =

P(X = 11) = P(5, 6) + P(6, 5) =

P(X = 12) = P(6, 6) =

Therefore, the required probability distribution is as follows.
X
|
2
|
3
|
4
|
5
|
6
|
7
|
8
|
9
|
10
|
11
|
12
|
P(X)
| ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() |



Question 14:
A class has 15 students whose ages are 14, 17, 15, 14, 21, 17, 19, 20, 16, 18, 20, 17, 16, 19 and 20 years. One student is selected in such a manner that each has the same chance of being chosen and the age X of the selected student is recorded. What is the probability distribution of the random variable X? Find mean, variance and standard deviation of X.
Answer:
There are 15 students in the class. Each student has the same chance to be chosen. Therefore, the probability of each student to be selected is
.

The given information can be compiled in the frequency table as follows.
X
|
14
|
15
|
16
|
17
|
18
|
19
|
20
|
21
|
f
|
2
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
1
|
P(X = 14) =
, P(X = 15) =
, P(X = 16) =
, P(X = 16) =
,




P(X = 18) =
, P(X = 19) =
, P(X = 20) =
, P(X = 21) =




Therefore, the probability distribution of random variable X is as follows.
X
|
14
|
15
|
16
|
17
|
18
|
19
|
20
|
21
|
f
| ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() |
Then, mean of X = E(X)

E(X2) =



Question 15:
In a meeting, 70% of the members favour and 30% oppose a certain proposal. A member is selected at random and we take X = 0 if he opposed, and X = 1 if he is in favour. Find E(X) and Var(X).
Answer:
It is given that P(X = 0) = 30% =


Therefore, the probability distribution is as follows.
X
|
0
|
1
|
P(X)
|
0.3
|
0.7
|


It is known that, Var (X) =

= 0.7 − (0.7)2
= 0.7 − 0.49
= 0.21
Question 16:
The mean of the numbers obtained on throwing a die having written 1 on three faces, 2 on two faces and 5 on one face is
(A) 1 (B) 2 (C) 5 (D) 

Answer:
Let X be the random variable representing a number on the die.
The total number of observations is six.

Therefore, the probability distribution is as follows.
X
|
1
|
2
|
5
|
P(X)
| ![]() | ![]() | ![]() |
Mean = E(X) =


The correct answer is B.
Question 17:
Suppose that two cards are drawn at random from a deck of cards. Let X be the number of aces obtained. Then the value of E(X) is
(A)
(B)
(C)
(D) 




Answer:
Let X denote the number of aces obtained. Therefore, X can take any of the values of 0, 1, or 2.
In a deck of 52 cards, 4 cards are aces. Therefore, there are 48 non-ace cards.
∴ P (X = 0) = P (0 ace and 2 non-ace cards) =

P (X = 1) = P (1 ace and 1 non-ace cards) = 

P (X = 2) = P (2 ace and 0 non- ace cards) = 

Thus, the probability distribution is as follows.
X
|
0
|
1
|
2
|
P(X)
| ![]() | ![]() | ![]() |
Then, E(X) =


Therefore, the correct answer is D.