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Prep 1 · Mathematics
Probability · Probability

Tree Diagrams

Before you start, make sure you know: Probabilities (Secondary Year 3)
Before you start, make sure you know: Percents (Secondary Year 2)

Ximena is heading to high school: she can go by Metro or by bus, and in each case there is a certain probability that she will be late. How do you calculate the probability that she is late on any given day, without getting lost among so many possibilities? With a tree diagram, which organizes multi-stage experiments. At the end of the page we come back to Ximena.

Building a Tree Diagram

Two-stage tree diagram with events A1 and A2 in the first stage, and conditional branches of B and its complement in the second. P(A₁)P(A₂) P(B|A₁)P(Bᶜ|A₁) P(B|A₂)P(Bᶜ|A₂) A₁∩BA₁∩Bᶜ A₂∩BA₂∩Bᶜ
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Complete the following tree diagram representing the tossing of a biased coin twice consecutively, given that the probability of getting heads is $\frac{1}{3}$. From the…

Complete the following tree diagram representing the tossing of a biased coin twice consecutively, given that the probability of getting heads is $\frac{1}{3}$. From the tree diagram, calculate the probability of getting heads first and then tails.

1/3 ? Heads Tails 1/3 ? Heads Tails ? ? Heads Tails
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A basketball player has a probability of $0.8$ of scoring a free throw. If they take two free throws independently, draw the probability tree diagram and determine the…

A basketball player has a probability of $0.8$ of scoring a free throw. If they take two free throws independently, draw the probability tree diagram and determine the probability that they miss both shots.

You can do it on paper and send a photo with your answer.

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Paths and Outcomes: Multiply and Add

Tree of two draws without replacement from a chest with 6 gold coins and 4 silver coins, showing how the probabilities change in the second stage. O: 6/10P: 4/10 O: 5/9P: 4/9 O: 6/9P: 3/9 1st coin2nd coin
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A box contains $4$ red balls and $6$ blue balls. A ball is drawn at random, its color is noted, it is returned to the box, and a second ball is drawn. Draw the…

A box contains $4$ red balls and $6$ blue balls. A ball is drawn at random, its color is noted, it is returned to the box, and a second ball is drawn. Draw the corresponding tree diagram and calculate the probability of obtaining two blue balls.

Solve
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In a wardrobe there are $5$ white T-shirts and $3$ black T-shirts. Two T-shirts are chosen at random, one after the other and without replacing the first back into the…

In a wardrobe there are $5$ white T-shirts and $3$ black T-shirts. Two T-shirts are chosen at random, one after the other and without replacing the first back into the wardrobe. Calculate the probability that both T-shirts are white.

Solve
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A Spanish deck of $40$ cards is available. Three cards are drawn consecutively without replacement. Calculate the probability that all three cards are of the same suit…

A Spanish deck of $40$ cards is available. Three cards are drawn consecutively without replacement. Calculate the probability that all three cards are of the same suit (coins, cups, swords, or clubs).

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Total Probability Read from the Tree

Tree with the output of three machines and dashed branches toward the probability of a defective part. 50%30%20% Mach. AMach. BMach. C defective: 2%defective: 4%defective: 5%
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A café offers two types of set menu: $60\,\%$ of the customers choose the set menu of the day and $40\,\%$ choose the vegetarian menu. Of those who choose the menu of…

A café offers two types of set menu: $60\,\%$ of the customers choose the set menu of the day and $40\,\%$ choose the vegetarian menu. Of those who choose the menu of the day, $70\,\%$ order coffee for dessert. Of those who choose the vegetarian menu, $80\,\%$ order tea. Calculate the probability that a randomly chosen customer ordered the menu of the day and also ordered coffee.

Solve
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To go to work, Yasmin can go by bus (with a probability of $0.7$) or by bicycle (with a probability of $0.3$). If she goes by bus, the probability of arriving late is…

To go to work, Yasmin can go by bus (with a probability of $0.7$) or by bicycle (with a probability of $0.3$). If she goes by bus, the probability of arriving late is $0.2$. If she goes by bicycle, the probability of arriving late is $0.05$. What is the probability that Yasmin goes by bicycle and arrives on time?

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In an electronic components factory, three machines (A, B, and C) produce $50\,\%$, $30\,\%$, and $20\,\%$ of the parts, respectively. The percentages of defective parts…

In an electronic components factory, three machines (A, B, and C) produce $50\,\%$, $30\,\%$, and $20\,\%$ of the parts, respectively. The percentages of defective parts produced by each machine are $2\,\%$, $4\,\%$, and $5\,\%$. Use the tree diagram to calculate the probability that a randomly chosen part is defective.

50% 30% 20% Machine A Machine B Machine C 2% 98% Defective Non-defective 4% 96% Defective Non-defective 5% 95% Defective Non-defective
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We have two urns. Urn A contains $3$ red balls and $2$ black balls. Urn B contains $4$ red balls and $5$ black balls. We toss a coin: if it comes up heads, we draw a…

We have two urns. Urn A contains $3$ red balls and $2$ black balls. Urn B contains $4$ red balls and $5$ black balls. We toss a coin: if it comes up heads, we draw a ball from urn A; if it comes up tails, we draw a ball from urn B. What is the probability that the drawn ball is red?

Solve
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In a diagnostic test for an allergy, $5\,\%$ of the population actually has the allergy. If a person has the allergy, the test is positive $90\,\%$ of the time. If they…

In a diagnostic test for an allergy, $5\,\%$ of the population actually has the allergy. If a person has the allergy, the test is positive $90\,\%$ of the time. If they do not have it, the test is negative $95\,\%$ of the time. Draw a tree diagram to illustrate the situation and calculate the probability that a randomly chosen person gets a positive result on the test.

You can do it on paper and send a photo with your answer.

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Trees with More Stages and Branches That Stop

Not all trees are symmetric. Sometimes the experiment stops as soon as something happens (a successful shot, a black ball). Then that branch no longer splits.

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We roll a six-sided die and then draw a card from a Spanish deck of $40$ cards. If an even number comes up on the die, we win if we draw a King. If an odd number comes…

We roll a six-sided die and then draw a card from a Spanish deck of $40$ cards. If an even number comes up on the die, we win if we draw a King. If an odd number comes up on the die, we win if we draw an Ace. Calculate the probability of rolling an even number on the die and also winning.

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An urn contains $2$ green balls and $3$ yellow balls. We draw a ball, look at it, and leave it out. Then we draw another ball. What is the probability that the first…

An urn contains $2$ green balls and $3$ yellow balls. We draw a ball, look at it, and leave it out. Then we draw another ball. What is the probability that the first ball is green and the second is yellow?

Solve
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In a tennis match, if a player's first serve is in (probability $0.6$), they win the point with probability $0.7$. If the first serve misses, they take a second serve…

In a tennis match, if a player's first serve is in (probability $0.6$), they win the point with probability $0.7$. If the first serve misses, they take a second serve which is in with probability $0.8$. If the second serve is in, they win the point with probability $0.5$. If the second serve also misses, they commit a double fault and automatically lose the point. Calculate the total probability that the player wins the point on that service.

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A student has to take two exams on the same day. The probability of passing the first is $0.6$. If they pass the first, they get motivated and the probability of passing…

A student has to take two exams on the same day. The probability of passing the first is $0.6$. If they pass the first, they get motivated and the probability of passing the second rises to $0.8$. However, if they fail the first, they get discouraged and the probability of passing the second drops to $0.3$. Construct the tree diagram and calculate the probability that they pass at least one of the two exams.

You can do it on paper and send a photo with your answer.

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A bag contains $5$ white balls and $4$ black balls. Balls are drawn one by one without replacement until a black ball is drawn. What is the probability of having to…

A bag contains $5$ white balls and $4$ black balls. Balls are drawn one by one without replacement until a black ball is drawn. What is the probability of having to carry out exactly three extractions for the game to end?

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The weather in a coastal city follows a curious pattern: if a day is sunny, the probability that it rains the next day is $0.2$. If a day is rainy, the probability that…

The weather in a coastal city follows a curious pattern: if a day is sunny, the probability that it rains the next day is $0.2$. If a day is rainy, the probability that it keeps raining the next day is $0.6$. Given that today is Monday and it is sunny, what is the probability that it rains on Wednesday? Draw the corresponding tree diagram for Tuesday and Wednesday.

You can do it on paper and send a photo with your answer.

Solve
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There are two boxes. Box 1 contains $4$ blue counters and $2$ red counters. Box 2 contains $3$ blue counters and $5$ red counters. A counter is drawn at random from Box…

There are two boxes. Box 1 contains $4$ blue counters and $2$ red counters. Box 2 contains $3$ blue counters and $5$ red counters. A counter is drawn at random from Box 1 and placed into Box 2. Next, a counter is drawn from Box 2. Calculate the probability that the counter drawn from Box 2 is blue.

Box 1 Box 2 ? 1 random counter
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An urn contains $x$ white balls and $4$ black balls. Two balls are drawn without replacement. Knowing that the probability that both balls are white is $\frac{1}{3}$,…

An urn contains $x$ white balls and $4$ black balls. Two balls are drawn without replacement. Knowing that the probability that both balls are white is $\frac{1}{3}$, set up the corresponding equation with the help of a tree diagram and determine the initial number of white balls $x$.

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Two e-sports teams, Alpha and Beta, play the final of a best-of-three tournament (the first to win two matches is the champion). Alpha is the better team, so their…

Two e-sports teams, Alpha and Beta, play the final of a best-of-three tournament (the first to win two matches is the champion). Alpha is the better team, so their probability of winning any match is $0.6$. Matches cannot end in a draw. Draw the tree diagram of all possible outcomes of the final and calculate the probability that Team Beta wins the tournament.

You can do it on paper and send a photo with your answer.

Solve
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In a board game, a player must cross a pit by jumping on three consecutive platforms. The probability of slipping on the first platform is $\frac{1}{10}$. If they pass…

In a board game, a player must cross a pit by jumping on three consecutive platforms. The probability of slipping on the first platform is $\frac{1}{10}$. If they pass the first, the probability of slipping on the second is $\frac{1}{5}$. If they pass the second, the probability of slipping on the third is $\frac{1}{4}$. If they slip on any platform, they fall into the pit and lose. What is the probability that the player crosses the pit successfully? Given that the player fell into the pit, what is the probability that they fell on exactly the second platform?

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An urn contains $5$ balls numbered from $1$ to $5$. Balls are drawn one by one, without replacement, until the sum of the numbers drawn is greater than or equal to $6$.…

An urn contains $5$ balls numbered from $1$ to $5$. Balls are drawn one by one, without replacement, until the sum of the numbers drawn is greater than or equal to $6$. Draw the tree diagram with all possible branches, given that the ball with number $2$ was drawn on the first extraction. From your tree diagram, calculate the probability that the game ends on exactly the third extraction.

2 S=2 1 S=3 3 S=5 4 END (S=6) 5 END (S=7) 3 END (S=6) 4 END (S=7) 5 END (S=8) ? Complete the tree diagram...

You can do it on paper and send a photo with your answer.

Solve

From the Outcome to Its Cause: Bayes with the Tree

The tree also answers the reverse question: $B$ has already happened, so which branch of the first stage was it most likely to come through?

Bayes diagram: one favorable path divided by the sum of all the paths that reach B. path through A₁ to B all paths to B (A₁, A₂, A₃…) P(A₁|B) = (top row) ÷ (bottom row)
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In a city, $20\,\%$ of drivers are young (under 25 years old) and $80\,\%$ are adults. The probability that a young driver has an accident in a year is $0.15$, whereas…

In a city, $20\,\%$ of drivers are young (under 25 years old) and $80\,\%$ are adults. The probability that a young driver has an accident in a year is $0.15$, whereas for an adult it is $0.05$. A driver is selected at random and turns out to have had an accident this year. Using the branches of a tree diagram, calculate the probability that this driver is young. (Express the result as an irreducible fraction).

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A vault alarm system has 3 motion sensors. The probability that sensor A fails during an intrusion is $0.1$; that sensor B fails is $0.05$; and that sensor C fails is…

A vault alarm system has 3 motion sensors. The probability that sensor A fails during an intrusion is $0.1$; that sensor B fails is $0.05$; and that sensor C fails is $0.2$. The sensors act completely independently. Draw the corresponding tree diagram and calculate the probability that, during an actual intrusion, at least one sensor activates and sounds the alarm.

You can do it on paper and send a photo with your answer.

Solve
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In a competition, an archer has a maximum of three arrows to hit the target. The probability of hitting the target with the first arrow is $0.4$. If they miss, they…

In a competition, an archer has a maximum of three arrows to hit the target. The probability of hitting the target with the first arrow is $0.4$. If they miss, they adjust their sight and the probability of hitting with the second is $0.6$. If they miss again, they get nervous and the probability of hitting with the third is $0.3$. The archer stops shooting as soon as they hit the target. Calculate the probability that the archer needed to take more than one shot given that they ultimately managed to hit the target.

Solve

Back to the beginning: if Ximena takes the Metro with probability $0.6$ (she is late with $0.1$) and the bus with $0.4$ (she is late with $0.3$), the probability of being late is $0.6\times0.1+0.4\times0.3=0.06+0.12=0.18$.

Summary

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