WAEC Further Mathematics 2006 Theory question 113

Theory question 113

Probability

(a) A man P has 5 red, 3 blue and 2 white buses. Another man Q has 3 red, 2 blue and 4 white buses. A bus owned by P is involved in an accident with a bus belonging to Q. Calculate the probability that the two buses are not of the same colour.
(b) A man travels from Nigeria to Ghana by air and from Ghana to Liberia by ship. He returns by the same means. He has 6 airlines and 4 shipping lines to choose from. In how many ways can he make his journey without using the same airline or shipping line twice?

Show the model answer
Model answer

(a) P(same colour) = (5/10)(3/9) + (3/10)(2/9) + (2/10)(4/9) = (15 + 6 + 8)/90 = 29/90
P(not same colour) = 1 − 29/90 = 61/90
(b) Going: 6 airlines × 4 shipping lines; returning: 3 shipping lines × 5 airlines
Number of ways = 6 × 4 × 3 × 5 = 360

Explanation

Find P(same colour) first and subtract from 1; on the return trip one airline and one shipping line are already used.