These Year 9 probability worksheet answers give a full worked solution to all 20 questions of the probability: sample spaces and Venn diagrams worksheet. Try each question yourself first, then check your method step by step.
Answer to Question 1
- One outcome out of 8: \(\dfrac18\) The spinner is fair, so each of the 8 sections is equally likely and only one section shows 5.
- Even numbers are 2, 4, 6, 8: \(\dfrac48=\) \(\dfrac12\) Four of the eight numbers are even, so the probability simplifies to one half.
- Primes are 2, 3, 5, 7: \(\dfrac48=\) \(\dfrac12\) A prime number has exactly two factors; 1 is not prime. Four of the eight numbers are prime.
- 7 and 8: \(\dfrac28=\) \(\dfrac14\) Only 7 and 8 are greater than 6, so two outcomes out of eight, which simplifies to one quarter.
Answer to Question 2
- \(1-0.35=\) 0.65 It either rains or it does not, so the two probabilities add up to 1.
- \(1-\dfrac38=\) \(\dfrac58\) Subtract from 1, written as \(\dfrac88\), to get the probability that the counter is not red.
- \(1-0.2=\) 0.8 Assuming a draw is not possible, winning and losing are the only outcomes, so they add up to 1.
- \(1-\dfrac7{40}=\) \(\dfrac{33}{40}\) Write 1 as \(\dfrac{40}{40}\) and subtract \(\dfrac7{40}\).
Answer to Question 3
- \(0.3+0.45+0.15+x=1\), so \(0.9+x=1\) and \(x=\) 0.1 The four colours are the only possible outcomes, so their probabilities add up to 1.
- \(0.3+0.45=\) 0.75 Red and blue cannot happen at the same time, so add their probabilities.
- \(1-0.15=\) 0.85 Not green is the complement of green, so subtract from 1. Check: \(0.3+0.45+0.1=0.85\).
- \(0.45+0.1=\) 0.55 Blue and yellow are mutually exclusive, so add 0.45 and the value of \(x\) from part a).
Answer to Question 4
- Six 7s in the table: \(\dfrac6{36}=\) \(\dfrac16\) The 7s lie on a diagonal of the table, one in each row, so there are 6 of them out of 36.
- Doubles are \((1,1)\) to \((6,6)\): \(\dfrac6{36}=\) \(\dfrac16\) Each score can be doubled in exactly one way, giving 6 doubles out of 36 outcomes.
- Totals 11 and 12: \(2+1=3\), so \(\dfrac3{36}=\) \(\dfrac1{12}\) A total of 11 can happen in 2 ways and 12 in only 1 way.
- Totals 2 and 3: \(1+2=3\), so \(\dfrac3{36}=\) \(\dfrac1{12}\) A total of 2 can happen in 1 way and 3 in 2 ways, giving 3 outcomes out of 36.
Answer to Question 5
- H1, H2, H3, T1, T2, T3 Pair each side of the coin with each number on the spinner, so that no outcome is missed.
- There are 6 outcomes (\(2\times3\)). There are 2 coin outcomes and 3 spinner outcomes, so \(2\times3=6\) combinations.
- One outcome (H2): \(\dfrac16\) All 6 outcomes are equally likely, and only H2 matches.
- T1 and T3: \(\dfrac26=\) \(\dfrac13\) The odd numbers are 1 and 3, so two of the six outcomes match.
Answer to Question 6
- \(A\cap B=\{6,12\}\). \(A\cup B=\{2,3,4,6,8,9,10,12\}\). The intersection contains numbers in both sets: even multiples of 3. The union contains numbers in at least one set.
- \(P(A)=\dfrac6{12}=\dfrac12\). \(P(A\cap B)=\dfrac2{12}=\dfrac16\). There are 6 even numbers out of 12, and 2 numbers in the intersection.
- Neither: 1, 5, 7, 11. \(\dfrac4{12}=\) \(\dfrac13\) Numbers outside both circles are odd and not multiples of 3: there are four of them.
- \(n(A)=6\), \(n(B)=4\), \(n(A\cap B)=2\): \(6+4-2=8=n(A\cup B)\). Correct. The formula subtracts the overlap because it was counted twice, once in \(A\) and once in \(B\).
Answer to Question 7
- \(\dfrac5{200}=\) \(\dfrac1{40}\) Each ticket has the same chance, and Maya has 5 of the 200 tickets.
- \(\dfrac{12}{200}=\) \(\dfrac3{50}\) Ali has 12 of the 200 tickets; the fraction simplifies by dividing by 4.
- \(\dfrac5{200}+\dfrac{12}{200}=\) \(\dfrac{17}{200}\). Only one ticket wins, so the events are mutually exclusive. Only one ticket is drawn, so Maya and Ali cannot both win, and we may add their probabilities.
- \(1-\dfrac{17}{200}=\) \(\dfrac{183}{200}\) Someone else winning is the complement of Maya or Ali winning.
- \(200-50=\) Β£150 The school receives Β£1 for each of the 200 tickets and pays out one prize of Β£50.
Answer to Question 8
- \(1-0.6=\) 0.4 A day is either sunny or not sunny, so the probabilities add up to 1.
- \(20\times0.6=\) 12 Expected number = number of trials Γ probability.
- Yes, as long as rain is part of the 0.4: the not-sunny days are 0.4, which is more than 0.25. Rainy days must fit inside the not-sunny days, so the probability of rain cannot be more than 0.4.
- \(50\times0.4=\) 20 Multiply the number of Saturdays by the probability of not sunny.
Answer to Question 9
- \(P(\text{red})=\dfrac8{20}=\dfrac25\); \(P(\text{orange})=\dfrac2{20}=\dfrac1{10}\) There are 20 sweets altogether; 8 are red and 2 are orange.
- \(\dfrac{8+6}{20}=\dfrac{14}{20}=\) \(\dfrac7{10}\) A sweet cannot be red and green at once, so add the 8 red and 6 green sweets.
- \(1-\dfrac1{10}=\) \(\dfrac9{10}\) Use the complement: the probability of orange is \(\dfrac1{10}\).
- Now there are 6 red out of 18 sweets: \(\dfrac6{18}=\) \(\dfrac13\) After eating two red sweets there are 2 fewer red sweets and 2 fewer sweets in total.
Answer to Question 10
- \(\dfrac6{36}=\) \(\dfrac16\) There are 6 doubles among the 36 equally likely outcomes.
- Totals 9, 10, 11, 12 occur \(4+3+2+1=10\) times: \(\dfrac{10}{36}=\) \(\dfrac5{18}\) Count the outcomes in the table with a total of 9, 10, 11 or 12.
- Pairs \((2,6),(6,2),(3,4),(4,3)\): \(\dfrac4{36}=\) \(\dfrac19\) Only \(2\times6\) and \(3\times4\) give 12, and each can happen in either order.
- \(72\times\dfrac16=\) 12 extra turns Expected number = number of rolls Γ probability of a double.
Answer to Question 11
- Pizza-juice, pizza-water, pasta-juice, pasta-water, salad-juice, salad-water. Work systematically: take each main course and pair it with each drink.
- 6 outcomes. There are 3 main courses and 2 drinks, so \(3\times2=6\) possible lunches.
- One outcome: \(\dfrac16\) Each lunch is equally likely, and only one of the six is pizza with water.
- Two outcomes (salad-juice, salad-water): \(\dfrac26=\) \(\dfrac13\) Salad appears with each of the two drinks.
- Pasta-juice, pasta-water, pizza-juice, salad-juice: \(\dfrac46=\) \(\dfrac23\) Count every lunch that contains pasta or juice or both; pasta-juice is counted only once.
Answer to Question 12
- Football only \(=18-5=13\). Hockey only \(=12-5=7\). The 5 pupils who play both are inside both circles, so subtract them from each total.
- \(13+5+7=25\), so neither \(=30-25=\) 5. Add the three regions inside the circles and subtract from the class total.
- \(\dfrac5{30}=\) \(\dfrac16\) Five of the 30 pupils play both sports.
- \(\dfrac{25}{30}=\) \(\dfrac56\) Football or hockey means at least one sport: \(13+5+7=25\) pupils.
- \(\dfrac{13+7}{30}=\dfrac{20}{30}=\) \(\dfrac23\) Exactly one sport means football only or hockey only, but not both.
Answer to Question 13
- \(1-0.15=\) 0.85 Winning and not winning are complementary, so subtract 0.15 from 1.
- \(200\times0.15=\) 30 prizes Expected number of prizes = 200 Γ 0.15.
- \(30\times4=\) Β£120 Each of the 30 expected prizes is worth Β£4.
- Takings Β£200 minus Β£120 \(=\) Β£80 The fair takes Β£1 for each spin, so it takes Β£200 and pays out about Β£120.
- Β£80 is below Β£100, so the organiser would need about 250 spins (\(250-37.5\times4=100\)). Each spin gives an expected profit of \(1-0.15\times4=0.40\) pounds, so Β£100 needs 250 spins.
Answer to Question 14
- \(\dfrac{13}{52}=\) \(\dfrac14\) There are 13 hearts among the 52 cards.
- \(\dfrac4{52}=\) \(\dfrac1{13}\) There is one king in each of the four suits.
- \(\dfrac{4+4}{52}=\dfrac8{52}=\) \(\dfrac2{13}\) A card cannot be a king and a queen at once, so add the 4 kings and the 4 queens.
- \(1-\dfrac14=\) \(\dfrac34\) There are 13 spades, so 39 cards are not spades, which is \(\dfrac{39}{52}=\dfrac34\).
- \(104\times\dfrac14=\) 26 Expected number = number of trials Γ probability of a heart.
Answer to Question 15
- Boys \(=50\), girls \(=50\); walk \(=38\), bus \(=42\), car \(=20\). Add across each row to find the totals for boys and girls, and down each column for each type of travel.
- \(\dfrac{38}{100}=\) 0.38 38 of the 100 pupils walk.
- \(\dfrac{24}{100}=\) 0.24 Look at the cell where the girls' row meets the bus column: 24 out of 100.
- \(\dfrac{16}{50}=\) 0.32 This time the total is only the 50 girls, of whom 16 walk.
- \(\dfrac{20}{100}\times1200=\) 240 pupils The sample suggests that 20% of pupils travel by car; 20% of 1 200 is 240.
Answer to Question 16
- \(3\times4=\) 12 outcomes. Spinner A has 3 outcomes and spinner B has 4, so \(3\times4=12\).
- Totals of 5: 3 outcomes, so \(\dfrac3{12}=\) \(\dfrac14\) A total of 5 comes from (1,4), (2,3) and (3,2).
- Even totals: 2, 4, 4, 6, 4, 6, so 6 outcomes: \(\dfrac12\) Count the even totals in the grid: 6 out of 12.
- Totals of 6, 6 and 7: \(\dfrac3{12}=\) \(\dfrac14\) The totals greater than 5 are 6, 6 and 7.
- \(120\times\dfrac14=\) 30 Expected number = number of trials Γ probability.
Answer to Question 17
- French only \(=16\), both \(=6\), Spanish only \(=9\), neither \(=40-31=9\). Fill in the overlap first: 6 study both, so French only is \(22-6\) and Spanish only is \(15-6\).
- \(\dfrac9{40}\) Nine of the 40 students are outside both circles.
- \(\dfrac{16+9}{40}=\dfrac{25}{40}=\) \(\dfrac58\) Exactly one language means French only or Spanish only.
- Among the 22 French students, 6 also study Spanish: \(\dfrac6{22}=\) \(\dfrac3{11}\) The question restricts the choice to the 22 French students, so the denominator is 22.
- \(\dfrac9{40}\times200=\) 45 students Expected number = 200 Γ the probability of neither language.
Answer to Question 18
- \(P(7)=\dfrac6{36}=\dfrac16\) and \(P(\text{double})=\dfrac6{36}=\dfrac16\). A total of 7 is odd, and the total of a double is even, so they cannot happen together. Look at the 36-outcome grid for two dice. Since a double always gives an even total, a total of 7 and a double are mutually exclusive.
- \(\dfrac16\times4+\dfrac16\times2=\dfrac66=\) Β£1 Multiply each prize by its probability and add.
- Yes: the expected winnings equal the Β£1 cost, so the game is fair in the long run. A game is fair when the expected winnings equal the cost of playing.
- Takings \(=360\times1=\) Β£360. Expected payout \(=60\times4+60\times2=240+120=\) Β£360. Expected wins of each type: \(360\times\dfrac16=60\). The payout equals the takings, so the fair expects no profit.
Answer to Question 19
- \(2\times2\times2=\) 8 outcomes. Each coin has 2 outcomes, so three coins have \(2\times2\times2\) outcomes.
- Three outcomes out of 8: \(\dfrac38\) HHT, HTH and THH each have exactly two heads.
- Everything except HHH: \(1-\dfrac18=\) \(\dfrac78\) At least one tail is the complement of no tails, which is HHH.
- HHH and TTT: \(\dfrac28=\) \(\dfrac14\) All the same means all heads or all tails.
- \(80\times\dfrac38=\) 30 Expected number = 80 Γ the probability of exactly 2 heads.
Answer to Question 20
- Pizza only \(=18-x\); pasta only \(=20-x\). The \(x\) pupils who like both are inside both circles, so subtract \(x\) from each total.
- \((18-x)+x+(20-x)+2=30\), so \(40-x=30\). The 2 pupils who like neither are outside both circles, and all four regions add up to 30.
- \(x=\) 10 Collect the terms: \(40-x=30\). Check: \(8+10+10+2=30\).
- Pizza only \(=8\): \(\dfrac8{30}=\) \(\dfrac4{15}\) Pizza only is \(18-10=8\) pupils out of 30.
- Of the 20 who like pasta, 10 like pizza: \(\dfrac{10}{20}=\) \(\dfrac12\) The choice is limited to the 20 pasta lovers, and 10 of them are in the overlap.
How to use these Year 9 probability worksheet answers
First, try every question on the worksheet without looking. Then compare your working with the solution line by line, not only the final answer. When your answer is different, find the first step that changes, because that is where the mistake is. After that, read the matching part of the probability: sample spaces and Venn diagrams lesson again. Finally, check that the method is secure with the quiz or the test.
Also, the Year 9 probability worksheet answers are available as a PDF, so you can mark printed work quickly. Moreover, all the pages of this chapter work together, so you can move between them at any time. For example, many pupils read the lesson on Monday, practise on Wednesday and test themselves on Friday. In short, these Year 9 probability worksheet answers show every step, so nothing is left unexplained.


















