Probabilities of exhaustive events sum to one worksheet — GCSE Foundation

1.A bag contains beads that are exactly one of red, white or black. The probability of taking a red bead is 3/10 and the probability of taking a white bead is 1/4. Work out the probability of taking a bead that is red or white.

2.At a coffee shop, each customer buys tea, coffee, water or juice, and never more than one of these. The probability that a customer buys tea is 0.36 and the probability that they buy juice is 0.04. The probability that a customer buys coffee is three times the probability that they buy water. Work out the probability that a customer buys water.

3.The probability that a machine completes a task successfully is 0.85. Work out the probability that the machine does not complete the task successfully.

4.A card is taken at random from an ordinary pack of 52 playing cards. The probability that the card is a diamond is 1/4. Work out the probability that the card is not a diamond.

5.A box contains counters that are silver, bronze or copper only. The probability that a counter taken at random is silver is 1/2 and the probability that it is bronze is 1/8. The box contains 64 counters in total. Work out the number of copper counters.

6.A spinner lands on red, on blue or on green, and it cannot land on more than one colour at a time. The probability that it lands on red is 0.3 and the probability that it lands on blue is 0.5. Work out the probability that it lands on red or on blue.

7.A box contains 1 white bead, 4 purple beads and 4 red beads. One bead is taken at random from the box. Work out the probability that the bead is white or purple.

8.In a game, Freddie says the probability of winning is 0.45, the probability of drawing is 0.3 and the probability of losing is 0.35, and that all three of his probabilities are correct. Which statement about Freddie's probabilities is correct?

9.A bag contains counters that are red, blue or green only. The probability that a counter taken at random is not red is 0.8. The bag contains 25 counters in total. Work out how many of the counters are red.

10.At a fun run, each runner finishes, retires or is disqualified, and cannot do more than one of these. The probability that a runner finishes is 68.5% and the probability that a runner retires is 24.75%. Work out the probability, as a percentage, that a runner is disqualified.

11.A jar contains counters that are pink, gold or grey only. The probability that a counter taken at random is pink is 0.2 and the probability that it is gold is 0.45. The jar contains 60 counters in total. Work out the number of grey counters.

12.A spinner lands on one of four colours: amber, black, cyan or damson. The probability it lands on amber is 0.18, on black is 0.22 and on cyan is 0.24. Work out the probability that it lands on amber or damson.

13.In a game, Zara says the probability of scoring is 3/8, the probability of missing is 5/12 and the probability of a rebound is 1/6, and that these are the only three outcomes. Is Zara correct that her three probabilities are valid?

14.At a quiz night, each team's result is a win, a draw or a loss, and no team can have more than one of these results. The probability that a team wins is 42% and the probability that a team draws is 18.5%. Work out the probability, as a percentage, that a team does not win and does not draw.

15.The probability that the Hughes family go away during the summer holidays is 3/7. Work out the probability that they do not go away during the summer holidays.