Probability and Statistics previous year questions with solutions
Frequently Asked Questions
The range is the difference between the largest and smallest values in the data set. Range = Maximum value − Minimum value
The mode is the value that appears most frequently in the data set.
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Probability and Statistics Previous Year Questions with Solutions
1.0Introduction
Probability and Statistics previous year questions typically cover basic probability, conditional probability, Bayes' theorem, random variables, binomial distribution, mean, median, variance, and standard deviation. Examples include finding the probability of drawing certain colored balls, calculating conditional probability, determining expected values, and analyzing binomial experiments like coin tosses. Solutions involve applying formulas such as P(E)=total outcomesfavorable outcomes, Bayes' theorem, and using binomial coefficients. Questions on statistics require calculating mean, variance, and standard deviation from given data. Regular practice of these problems strengthens understanding, sharpens calculation skills, and builds speed and accuracy for JEE exams.
JEE Main Previous Year Solved Questions on ProbabilityandStatistics
JEE Adv Previous Year Solved Questions on Probability
JEE Adv Previous Year Solved Questions on Statistics
2.0Probability and Statistics: Previous Year Questions for JEE with Solutions
Probability and Statistics is a vital part of the JEE Mathematics syllabus. It combines logical reasoning with numerical calculations to predict outcomes and understand data. Questions from this chapter often appear in both JEE Main and JEE Advanced, sometimes directly formula-based and sometimes conceptual.
3.0Key Concepts to Remember
Probability
Trial: Performing an experiment.
Sample Space (S): Set of all possible outcomes.
Event: A subset of the sample space.
Classical Probability:
P(E)=Total number of outcomesNumber of favourable outcomes
Conditional Probability:
P(A∣B)=P(B)P(A∩B)
Independent Events: Events where occurrence of one does not affect the other.
Bayes' Theorem: A formula that describes the probability of an event, based on prior knowledge of conditions that might be related to the event.
4.0Probability Formula for JEE
1. Basic Probability
P(E)=Total number of outcomesNumber of favorable outcomes
where:
P(E) = probability of event E
0 ≤ P(E) ≤ 1
2. Complementary Event
P(E′) = 1 − P(E)
where E′ is the event "E does not happen."
3. Addition Theorem
For any two events A and B:
P(A∪B)=P(A)+P(B)−P(A∩B)
If A and B are mutually exclusive (they cannot happen together):
P(A∪B)=P(A)+P(B)
4. Conditional Probability
P(A∣B)=P(B)P(A∩B)(provided P(B)=0)
Meaning: Probability of A happening given that B has already happened.
5. Multiplication Theorem
For any two events A and B:
P(A∩B)=P(A)×P(B∣A)
or
P(A∩B)=P(B)×P(A∣B)
If A and B are independent events:
P(A∩B)=P(A)×P(B)
6. Bayes' Theorem
(important for conditional probability problems)
P(A∣B)=P(B)P(B∣A)×P(A)
where:
P(B)=P(B∣A)P(A)+P(B∣A′)P(A′)
7. Independent Events
Two events A and B are independent if:
P(A∩B)=P(A)×P(B)
Also:
P(A∣B)=P(A),P(B∣A)=P(B)
8. Total Probability Theorem
If E1,E2,E3,…,En are mutually exclusive and exhaustive events:
Odds in favour of E =1−P(E)P(E)Odds against E =P(E)1−P(E)
10. Important Shortcuts for Problems
Tossing a coin:
Sample space: 2n outcomes for n tosses
Throwing a die:
Sample space: 6n outcomes for n dice
Drawing cards:
52 cards total
13 cards per suit (hearts, diamonds, clubs, spades)
Statistics
Mean (Average): Sum of observations divided by the number of observations.
Median: Middle value in ordered data.
Mode: Most frequently occurring value.
Variance: Measure of how data points differ from the mean.
Standard Deviation (σ):
σ=Variance
Binomial Distribution: A probability distribution that summarizes the likelihood that a value will take one of two independent states under a given number of parameters.
5.0Statistics Formula for JEE
1. Range
Range = Largest observation − Smallest observation
2. Mean Deviation (M.D.)
a) For Ungrouped Data
About Mean (Xˉ):
M.D.(Xˉ)=n1∑i=1n∣Xi−Xˉ∣
About Median (M):
M.D.(M)=n1∑i=1n∣Xi−M∣
b) For Discrete Frequency Distribution
About Mean (Xˉ):
M.D.(Xˉ)=N1∑i=1nfixi−Xˉ
About Median (M):
M.D.(M)=N1∑i=1nfi∣xi−M∣
c) For Continuous Frequency Distribution
About Mean (Xˉ):
M.D.(Xˉ)=N1∑i=1nfixi−Xˉ
About Median (M):
M.D.(M)=N1∑i=1nfi∣xi−M∣
Note: Here, xi represents the midpoints of the class intervals.
3. Variance (σ²) and Standard Deviation (σ)
a) For Ungrouped Data
Variance:
σ2=n1∑i=1n(Xi−Xˉ)2
Standard Deviation:
σ=σ2
b) For Discrete Frequency Distribution
Variance:
σ2=N1∑i=1nfi(Xi−Xˉ)2
Standard Deviation:
σ=σ2
c) For Continuous Frequency Distribution
Variance:
σ2=N1∑i=1nfi(xi−Xˉ)2
Standard Deviation:
σ=σ2
Note: An alternative formula for variance:
σ2=N1∑i=1nfixi2−(Xˉ)2
4. Standard Deviation Using Assumed Mean Method
Formula:
σ=h×(N1∑i=1nfiyi2)−(N1∑i=1nfiyi)2
Where:
h = class width
yi=hxi−A
A = assumed mean
5. Coefficient of Variation (C.V.)
Formula:
C.V.=Xˉσ×100
6.0Previous Year Questions with Solution on Probability
1.In a tournament, a team plays 10 matches with probabilities of winning and losing each match as 31and32 respectively. Let x be the number of matches that the team wins, and y be the number of matches that team loses. If the probability P(∣x–y∣<2) is p, then 39p equals……
2. Three urns A, B and C contain 7 red, 5 black; 5 red, 7 black and 6 red, 6 black balls, respectively. One of the urn is selected at random and a ball is drawn from it. If the ball drawn is black, then the probability that it is drawn from urn A is :
(1)174(2)185(3)187(4)165
Ans. (2)
Sol.
A 7R5BB 5R7BC 5R7BP(B)=31⋅125+31⋅127+31⋅126Required probability=31(125+127+126)31⋅125=185
3.A company has two plants A and B to manufacture motorcycles. 60% motorcycles are manufactured at plant A and the remaining are manufactured at plant B. 80% of the motorcycles manufactured at plant A are rated of the standard quality, while 90% of the motorcycles manufactured at plant B are rated of the standard quality. A motorcycle picked up randomly from the total production is found to be of the standard quality. If p is the probability that it was manufactured at plant B, then 126p is
4. Three balls are drawn at random from a bag containing 5 blue and 4 yellow balls. Let the random variables X and Y respectively denote the number of blue and Yellow balls. If XˉandYˉ are the means of X and Y respectively, then 7Xˉ+4Yˉ is equal to ______.
5. Let a, b and c denote the outcome of three independent rolls of a fair tetrahedral die, whose four faces are marked 1, 2, 3, 4. If the probability that ax2 + bx + c = 0 has all real roots is nm, gcd(m, n) = 1, then m + n is equal to ________.
Ans. (19)
Sol.a, b, c ∈ {1, 2, 3, 4}
Tetrahedral dice
ax2+bx+c=0has all real roots⇒D≥0⇒b2−4ac≥0Let b=1⇒1−4ac≥0(Not feasible)b=2⇒4−4ac≥0⇒1≥ac⇒a=1,c=1b=3⇒9−4ac≥0⇒49≥ac⇒a=1,c=1⇒a=1,c=2⇒a=2,c=1b=4⇒16−4ac≥0⇒4≥ac⇒a=1,c=1⇒a=1,c=2⇒a=2,c=1⇒a=1,c=3⇒a=3,c=1⇒a=1,c=4⇒a=4,c=1⇒a=2,c=2Probability=(4)(4)(4)12=163=nm⇒m+n=3+16=19
6. A bag contains 8 balls, whose colours are either white or black. 4 balls are drawn at random without replacement and it was found that 2 balls are white and other 2 balls are black. The probability that the bag contains equal number of white and black balls is:
7. A fair die is tossed repeatedly until a six is obtained. Let X denote the number of tosses required and let a = P(X = 3), b = P(X ≥ 3) and c = P(X ≥ 6 |X > 3). Then ab+c is equal to _____.
9. Bag A contains 3 white, 7 red balls, and Bag B contains 3 white, 2 red balls. One bag is selected at random, and a ball is drawn from it. The probability of drawing the ball from the bag A, if the ball drawn in white, is :
(1)41(2)91(3)31(4)103
Ans. (3)
Sol.
E1:A is selectedE2:B is selectedE:white ball is drawnP(E1∣E)=P(E1∣E)=P(E1)⋅P(E∣E1)+P(E2)⋅P(E∣E2)P(E1)⋅P(E∣E1)=21×103+21×5321×103=3+63=31
10.A coin is based so that a head is twice as likely to occur as a tail. If the coin is tossed 3 times, then the probability of getting two tails and one head is-
(1)92(2)91(3)272(4)271
Ans. (1)
Sol.
Let probability of tail=31⇒Probability of head=32Probability of getting 2 tails and 1 head=(31×32×31)×3=272×3=92
11.Three rotten apples are accidentally mixed with fifteen good apples. Assuming the random variable x to be the number of rotten apples in a draw of two apples, the variance of x is
(1)15337(2)15357(3)15347(4)15340
Ans. (4)
Sol.
3 bad apples, 15 good applesLet X be the number of bad applesP(X=0)=18C215C2=153105P(X=1)=18C23C1×15C1=15345P(X=2)=18C23C2=1533E(X)=0×153105+1×15345+2×1533=15351=31Var(X)=E(X2)−(E(X))2=0×153105+1×15345+4×1533−(31)2=15357−91=15340
7.0Previous Year Questions with Solutions on Statistics
1.The mean and standard deviation of 20 observations are found to be 10 and 2, respectively. On respectively, it was found that an observation by mistake was taken 8 instead of 12. The correct standard deviation is
(1)3.86
(2) 1.8
(3) 3.96
(4) 1.94
Ans. (3)
Sol.
Meanxˉ=10⇒20∑xi=10⇒∑xi=10×20=200If 8 is replaced by 12, then:∑xi=200−8+12=204Correct mean xˉ=20204=10.2Standard deviation=2⇒Variance=(S.D.)2=22=4⇒20∑xi2−(20∑xi)2=4⇒20∑xi2−(10)2=4⇒20∑xi2=104⇒∑xi2=2080Now, replace ’8’ with ’12:∑xi2=2080−82+122=2080−64+144=2160Variance of corrected data=202160−(10.2)2=108−104.04=3.96Correct standard deviation:=3.96
2. Let a, b, c ∈ N and a < b < c. Let the mean, the mean deviation about the mean and the variance of the 5 observations 9, 25, a, b, c be 18, 4 and 5136, respectively. Then 2a + b – c is equal to _______ .
3. The frequency distribution of the age of students in a class of 40 students is given below.
Age
15
16
17
18
19
20
No. of Students
5
8
5
12
x
y
If the mean deviation about the median is 1.25, then 4x + 5y is equal to :
(1) 43
(2) 44
(3) 47
(4) 46
Ans. (2)
Sol.x + y = 10 .........(1)
Median = 18 = M
M.D.=∑fi∑fi∣xi−M∣1.25=4036+x+2y
x + 2y = 14 .........(2)
by (1) & (2)
x = 6, y = 4
⇒ 4x + 5y = 24 + 20 = 44
Age(xi)
f
|xi – M|
fi|xi – M|
15
5
3
15
16
8
2
16
17
5
1
5
18
12
0
0
19
x
1
x
20
y
2
2y
4. Consider 10 observation x1, x2,…., x10. such that ∑i=110(xi−α)=2 and ∑i=110(xi−β)2=40, where α, β are positive integers. Let the mean and the variance of the observations be 56and2584respectively. Theαβ is equal to :
5.The mean and standard deviation of 15 observations were found to be 12 and 3 respectively. On rechecking it was found that an observation was read as 10 in place of 12. If µ and σ2 denote the mean and variance of the correct observations respectively, then 15(μ+μ2+σ2) is equal to ……………………..
Ans.(2521)
Sol.Let the incorrect mean be μ and standard deviation be σ
μ′=15∑xi=12⇒∑xi=180As per given information, correct∑xi=180−10+12=182⇒μ=(correct mean)=15182Also,σ′=15∑xi2−144=3⇒15∑xi2=9+144=153⇒∑xi2=2295Correct value:∑xi2=2295−100+144=2339Therefore,σ2=(correct variance)=152339−15×15182×182Required value:=15(μ+μ2+σ2)=15(15182+15×15182×182+152339−15×15182×182)=15(15182+152339)=2521
6.Let the mean and the variance of 6 observation a, b, 68, 44, 48, 60 be 55 and 194, respectively if a > b, then a + 3b is