Tag: baye's theorem

Questions Related to baye's theorem

In an entrance test, there are multiple choice questions. There are four possible options of which one is correct. The probability that a student knows the answer to a question is $90$%. If he gets the correct answer to a question, then the probability that he was guessing is

  1. $\displaystyle \frac { 1 }{ 37 } $

  2. $\displaystyle \frac { 36 }{ 37 } $

  3. $\displaystyle \frac { 1 }{ 4 } $

  4. $\displaystyle \frac { 1 }{ 49 } $


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

We define the following events
${ A } _{ 1 }:$ He knows the answer
${ A } _{ 2 }:$ He does not know the answer
$E:$ He gets the correct answer
Thus $\displaystyle P\left( { A } _{ 1 } \right) =\frac { 9 }{ 10 } ,P\left( { A } _{ 2 } \right) =1-\frac { 9 }{ 10 } =\frac { 1 }{ 10 } ,P\left( \frac { E }{ { A } _{ 1 } }  \right) =1,P\left( \frac { E }{ { A } _{ 2 } }  \right) =\frac { 1 }{ 4 } $
$\therefore$ required probability $\displaystyle =P\left( \frac { { A } _{ 2 } }{ E }  \right) =\frac { P\left( { A } _{ 2 } \right) P\left( \frac { E }{ { A } _{ 2 } }  \right)  }{ P\left( { A } _{ 1 } \right) P\left( \frac { E }{ { A } _{ 1 } }  \right) +P\left( { A } _{ 2 } \right) P\left( \frac { E }{ { A } _{ 2 } }  \right)  } $
$\displaystyle =\frac { \dfrac { 1 }{ 10 } .\dfrac { 1 }{ 4 }  }{ \dfrac { 9 }{ 10 } .1+\dfrac { 1 }{ 10 } .\dfrac { 1 }{ 4 }  } =\frac { 1 }{ 36+1 } =\frac { 1 }{ 37 } $

$A$ is one of $6$ horses entered for a race, and is to be ridden by one of two jockeys $B$ and $C$. It is $2$ to $1$ that $B$ rides $A$, in which case all the horses are equally likely to win; if $C$ rides $A$, his chance is trebled; what are the odds against his winning?

  1. $13:5$

  2. $13:18$

  3. $18:13$

  4. $5:13$


Correct Option: A
Explanation:
Let $E _{1}$ be the event that $B$ rides $A$, $E _{2}$, the event that $C$ rides $A$ and $E$ the event that $A$ wins. 
Then according to the question, $\displaystyle P(E _{1})=\dfrac{2}{3}, P(E _{2})=1-\dfrac{2}{3}=\dfrac{1}{3} P(E/E _{1})=\dfrac{1}{6}$ 
(since all the $6$ horses are equally likely to win when $B$ rides $A$)
$P(E/E _{2})=3\times \dfrac{1}{6}=\dfrac{1}{2}$ 
(since $A$'s chance of winning is trebled when $C$ rides $A$) 
$\displaystyle \therefore P(E)=P(E _{1})P(E/E _{1})+P(E _{2})P(E/E _{2})=\dfrac{2}{3}\cdot \dfrac{1}{6}+\dfrac{1}{3}\cdot \dfrac{1}{2}=\dfrac{58}{18}$ 
so that odds against $A$'s win are as $ (18-5):5$, that is $13:5$.

An employer sends a letter to his employee but he does not receive the reply (It is certain that employee would have replied if he did receive the letter). It is known that one out of $n$ letters does not reach its destination. Find the probability that employee does not receive the letter.

  1. $\displaystyle \frac{1}{n-1}.$

  2. $\displaystyle \frac{n}{2n-1}.$

  3. $\displaystyle \frac{n-1}{2n-1}.$

  4. $\displaystyle \frac{n-2}{n-1}.$


Correct Option: C
Explanation:

Let $E$ be the event that employee received the letter and $A$ that employer received the reply, then
$\displaystyle P\left ( E \right )= \frac{n-1}{n}$ and $\displaystyle P\left ( \bar{E} \right )= \frac{1}{n}$

$\displaystyle P\left ( A/E \right )= \frac{n-1}{n}$ and $\displaystyle P\left ( A/\bar{E} \right )= 0$
Now $\displaystyle P\left ( A \right )= P\left ( E\cap A \right )+P\left ( \bar{E}\cap A \right )$
$\displaystyle = P\left ( E \right ).P\left ( A/E \right )+P\left ( \bar{E} \right ).P\left ( A/\bar{E} \right )$
$\displaystyle = \left ( \frac{n-1}{n} \right )\left ( \frac{n-1}{n} \right )+\frac{1}{n}.0$
$\displaystyle P\left ( A \right )= \left ( \frac{n-1}{n} \right )^{2}$
$\displaystyle
P\left ( \bar{A} \right )= 1-\left ( \frac{n-1}{n} \right )^{2}=
\frac{n^{2}-n^{2}-1+2n}{n^{2}}= \frac{2n-1}{n^{2}}$
Now the required probability
$\displaystyle P\left ( E/\bar{A} \right )= \frac{P\left ( E\cap \bar{A} \right  )}{P\left ( \bar{A} \right )}= \frac{P\left ( E \right )-P\left ( E\cap A

\right )}{P\left ( \bar{A} \right )}$

$\displaystyle = \frac{P\left ( E \right )-P\left ( E \right ).P\left ( A/E \right )}{P\left ( \bar{A} \right )}$
Putting the values, we get
$\displaystyle = \dfrac{\dfrac{n-1}{n}-\dfrac{n-1}{n}.\dfrac{n-1}{n}}{\dfrac{2n-1}{n^{2}}}$
$\displaystyle \therefore P\left ( E/\bar{A} \right )= \frac{n-1}{2n-1}.$

There are two groups of subjects one of which consists of 5 science subjects and 3 engineering subjects and the other consists of 3 science and 5 engineering subjects. An unbaised die is cast. If number 3 or number 5 turns up, a subject is selected at random from the first group, other wise the subject is selected at random from the second group. Find the probability that an engineering subject is selected ultimately.

  1. $\displaystyle \frac{13}{24}$

  2. $\displaystyle \frac{1}{3}$

  3. $\displaystyle \frac{2}{3}$

  4. $\displaystyle \frac{11}{24}$


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

Let  $\displaystyle E _{1}$ be the event that a subject is selected from first group.
$\displaystyle E _{2}$ the event that a subject is selected from the second group.
$E$ be the event that an engineering subject is selected.
Now the probability that die shows $3$ or $5$  is
$\displaystyle P(E _1)=\frac{2}{6}=\frac{1}{3}$

$\displaystyle P\left ( E _{2} \right )=\frac{1}{3}=\frac{2}{3}.$
Now probability of choosing an engineering subject from first group is 
$\displaystyle P\left ( E|E _{1} \right )=$  $\displaystyle \frac{^{3}C _{1}}{^{8}C _{1}}=\frac{3}{8}$
Similarly, $\displaystyle P\left( E|E _{2} \right )=\frac{^{5}C _{1}}{^{8}C _{1}}=\frac{5}{8}$ 
Hence $\displaystyle P\left ( E \right )=P\left ( E _{1} \right )P\left ( E|E _{1} \right )+P\left ( E _{2}\right )P\left ( E|E _{2} \right )$
$\displaystyle =\frac{1}{3}.\frac{3}{8}+\frac{2}{3}.\frac{5}{8}$

$=\dfrac{13}{24}$ 

There are two balls in an urn whose colours are not known (each ball can be either white or black). A white ball is put into the urn. A ball is drawn from the urn. The probability that it is white is

  1. $1/4$

  2. $1/3$

  3. $2/3$

  4. $1/6$


Correct Option: C
Explanation:

Let $E _1(0\leq i\leq 2)$ denote the event that urn contains $i$ white and $(2-i)$ black balls.
Let $A$ denote the event that a white ball is drawn from the urn.
We have $P(E _i)=1/3$ for $i=0, 1, 2$. and $P(A|E _1)=1/3, P(A|E _2)=2/3, P(A|E _3)=1$.
By the total probability rule,
$P(A)=P(E _1)P(A|E _1)+P(E _2)P(A|E _2)+P(E _3)P(A|E _3)$
$\displaystyle =\frac {1}{3}\left [\frac {1}{3}+\frac {2}{3}+1\right ]=\frac {2}{3}$

A man is known to speak the truth 3 out of 4 times. He throws a die and reports that it is a six. The probability that it is actually a six is

  1. $\dfrac38$

  2. $\dfrac15$

  3. $\dfrac34$

  4. None of these


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

Let $E$ be the event that the man reports that six occurs whle throwing the die and let $S$ be the event that six occurs. Then 
$P(S)=$ Probability that six occurs $ \displaystyle =\frac { 1 }{ 6 }   $
$P\left( { S }^{ 1 } \right) =$ probability that six does not occur $ \displaystyle =1-\frac { 1 }{ 6 } =\frac { 5 }{ 6 } $
$ \displaystyle P\left( \frac { F }{ S }  \right) = $ probability that the man reports that six occurs when six has actually occurred 
$=$ probability that the man reports the truth $ \displaystyle =\frac { 3 }{ 4 }  $ 
$ \displaystyle P\left( \frac { E }{ { S }^{ 1 } }  \right) =$ probability that the man report that six occur when six has not actually occurred. 
$=$ probability that the man does not speak the truth 
$ \displaystyle 1-\frac { 3 }{ 4 } =\frac { 1 }{ 4 } . $ 
By Bayes' theorem 
$ \displaystyle P\left( \frac { S }{ E }  \right) =$ probability that the man 
reports that six occurs when six has actually occured 
$ \displaystyle =\frac { P\left( S \right) P\left( \frac { F }{ S }  \right)  }{ P\left( S \right) \times P\left( \frac { F }{ S }  \right) +P\left( { S }^{ 1 } \right) \times P\left( \frac { E }{ { S }^{ 1 } }  \right)  }$ 
$ \displaystyle =\frac { \dfrac { 1 }{ 6 } \times \dfrac { 3 }{ 4 }  }{ \dfrac { 1 }{ 6 } \times \dfrac { 3 }{ 4 } +\dfrac { 5 }{ 6 } \times \dfrac { 1 }{ 4 }  } =\frac { 1 }{ 8 } \times \frac { 24 }{ 8 } =\frac { 3 }{ 8 }  $

A bag contains some white and some black balls, all combinations of balls being equally likely. The total number of balls in the bag is $10$. If three balls are drawn at random without replacement and all of them are found to be black, the probability that the bag contains $ 1$ white and $9$ black balls is

  1. $\dfrac {14}{55}$

  2. $\dfrac {12}{55}$

  3. $\dfrac {2}{11}$

  4. $\dfrac {8}{55}$


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

Let $E _i$ denote the event that the bag contains $i$ black and ($10-i$) white balls $(i=0, 1, 2, ...., 10)$. Let $A$ denote the event that the three balls drawn at random from the bag are black. We have
$P(E _i)=\dfrac {1}{11} (i=0, 1, 2, ...., 10)$
$P(A|E _i)=0$ for $i=0, 1, 2$
and $P(A|E _i)=\dfrac {^iC _3}{^{10}C _3}$ for $i\geq 3$
Now, by the total probability rule
$\displaystyle P(A)=\sum _{i=0}^{10}P(E _i)P(A|E _i)$
$=\frac {1}{11}\times \frac {1}{^{10}C _3}[^3C _3+^4C _4+....+^{10}C _3]$
But $^3C _3+^4C _3+^5C _3+....+^{10}C _3$
$=^4C _4+^4C _3+^5C _3+...+^{10}C _3$
$=^5C _4+^5C _3+^6C _3+....+^{10}C _3$
$=^6C _4+^6C _3+....+^{10}C _3=....=^{11}C _4$
Thus, $P(A)=\dfrac {^{11}C _4}{11\times ^{10}C _3}=\dfrac {1}{4}$
By the Bayes' rule
$P(E _9|A)=\dfrac {P(E _9)P(A|E _9)}{P(A)}=\dfrac {\dfrac {1}{11}\dfrac {(^9C _3)}{^{10}C _3}}{\dfrac {1}{4}}=\dfrac {14}{55}$.

A box contain $N$ coins, $m$ of which are fair are rest and biased. The probability of getting a head when a fair coin is tossed is $1/2$, while it is $2/3$ when a biased coin is tossed. A coin is drawn from the box at random and is tossed twice. The first time it shows head and the second time it shows tail. The probability that the coin drawn is fair is

  1. $\dfrac {9m}{8N+m}$

  2. $\dfrac {m}{8N+m}$

  3. $\dfrac {N}{8n+m}$

  4. $\dfrac {1}{m}$


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

Let $E _1, E _2$ and $A$ denote the following events:
$E _1$: coin selected is fair
$E _2$: coin selected is biased
$A: $ the first toss results in a head and the second toss results in a tail.
$\displaystyle P(E _1)=\frac {m}{N}, P(E _2)=\frac {N-m}{N}$,
$\displaystyle P(A|E _1)=\frac {1}{2}\times \frac {1}{2}\times \frac {1}{4}, P(A|E _2)=\frac {2}{3}\times \frac {1}{3}=\frac {2}{9}$.
By Bayes' rule
$\displaystyle P(E _1|A)=\frac {P(E _1)P(A|E _1)}{P(E _1)P(A|E _1)+P(E _2)P(A|E _2)}=\frac {9m}{8N+m}$.

I post a letter to my friend and do not receive a reply. It is known that one letter out of $m$ letters do not reach its destination. If it is certain that my friend will reply if he receives the letter. If $A$ denotes the event that my friend receives the letter and $B$ that I get a reply, then

  1. $P(B)=(1-1/m)^2$

  2. $P(A\cap B)=(1-1/m)^2$

  3. $P(A|B')=(m-1)/(2m-1)$

  4. $P(A\cup B)=(m-1)/m$


Correct Option: A,B,C,D
Explanation:

$P(A)=\dfrac {m-1}{m}, P(A')=\dfrac {1}{m}$
$P(B|A)=\dfrac {m-1}{m}, P(B|A')=0$
Now $P(B|A)=\dfrac {m-1}{m}\Rightarrow \dfrac {P(A\cap B)}{P(A)}=\dfrac {m-1}{m}$
$\Rightarrow P(A\cap B)=\dfrac {(m-1)^2}{m^2}$
Also $P(B)=P(A) P(B|A)+P(A') P(B|A')$
$=\left (\dfrac {m-1}{m}\right )\left (\dfrac {m-1}{m}\right )+\left (\dfrac {1}{m}\right )(0)=\left (\dfrac {m-1}{m}\right )^2$
$\Rightarrow P(B')=1-P(B)=1-\dfrac {(m-1)^2}{m^2}=\dfrac {2m-1}{m^2}$
$\therefore P(A|B')=\dfrac {P(A\cap B)}{P(B')}=\dfrac {P(A)-P(A\cap B)}{P(B')}$
$=\dfrac {m-1}{2m-1}$
$P(A\cup B)=\dfrac {m-1}{m}+\left (\dfrac {m-1}{m}\right )^2-\left (\dfrac {m-1}{m}\right )^2$.

An electric component manufactured by 'RASU Electronics' is tested for its defectiveness by a sophisticated testing device. Let $A$ denote the event "the device is defective" and $B$ the event "the testing device reveals the component to be defective". Suppose $P(A)=\alpha$ and $P(B|A)=P(B'|A')=1-\alpha$, where $0 < \alpha < 1$, then

  1. $P(B)=2\alpha(1-\alpha)$

  2. $P(A|B')=1/2$

  3. $P(B')=(1-\alpha)^2$

  4. $P(A'|B')=[\alpha /(1-\alpha)]^2$


Correct Option: A,B,C
Explanation:

$P(B)=P(A)P(B|A)+P(A')P(B|A')$
$=P(A)P(B|A)+P(A')[1-P(B'|A')]$
$=\alpha(1-\alpha)+(1-\alpha)[1-(1-\alpha)]=2\alpha (1-\alpha)$


and $\displaystyle P(A|B')=\frac {P(A/\cap B)}{P(B)}=\frac {P(B)-P(A\cap B)}{P(B)}$

$\displaystyle =\frac {P(B)-P(A)P(B|A)}{P(B)}$

$\displaystyle =\frac {2\alpha(1-\alpha)-\alpha(1-\alpha)}{2\alpha (1-\alpha)}=\frac {1}{2}$

$\displaystyle P(A'|B')=\frac {P(A'|B')}{P(B')}=\frac {1-P(A\cup B)}{1-P(B)}$

and $P(A\cup B)=P(A)+P(B)-P(A\cap B)=\alpha^2$