Probability — JEE Main practice

32 questions

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Sample questions with solutions

Q1 · 2026

Let the mean and variance of 7 observations 2,4,10,x,12,14,y,x>y2,4,10, x, 12,14, y, x>y, be 8 and 16 respectively. Two numbers are chosen from {1,2,3,x4,y,5}\{1,2,3, x-4, y, 5\} one after another without replacement, then the probability, that the smaller number among the two chosen numbers is less than 4 , is :

  • A.

    35\frac{3}{5}

  • B.

    25\frac{2}{5}

  • C.

    13\frac{1}{3}

  • D.

    45\frac{4}{5}

Answer: D
  1. Since the mean of the 7 observations is 8:
2+4+10+x+y+12+147=8    x+y=14\frac{2+4+10+x+y+12+14}{7}=8 \;\Rightarrow\; x+y=14
  1. Since the variance is 16, use the formula Var=xi2n(mean)2\text{Var}=\frac{\sum x_i^2}{n}-(\text{mean})^2:
16=22+42+102+x2+y2+122+14278216=\frac{2^2+4^2+10^2+x^2+y^2+12^2+14^2}{7}-8^2
  1. Simplifying gives:
x2+y2=100x^2+y^2=100
  1. Solving x+y=14x+y=14 and x2+y2=100x^2+y^2=100 together with x>yx>y gives:
x=8,y=6x=8,\qquad y=6
  1. The set {1,2,3,x4,y,5}\{1,2,3,x-4,y,5\} becomes {1,2,3,4,6,5}={1,2,3,4,5,6}\{1,2,3,4,6,5\}=\{1,2,3,4,5,6\}.

  2. We want the probability that the smaller of two chosen numbers is less than 4. It's easier to find the complementary event: both chosen numbers are at least 4 (i.e., from {4,5,6}\{4,5,6\}).

P(both4)=3C26C2=315P(\text{both}\ge4)=\frac{{}^3C_2}{{}^6C_2}=\frac{3}{15}
  1. So the required probability is:
1315=451-\frac{3}{15}=\frac{4}{5}

Hence, the answer is Option D.

Q2 · 2026

If a random variable xx has the probability distribution

x01234567
P(x)02k2kkk3k3k2k22k^22k2kk2+kk^2+k7k27k^2

then P(3<x6)P(3 < x \leq 6) is equal to

  • A.

    0.33

  • B.

    0.34

  • C.

    0.64

  • D.

    0.22

Answer: A
  1. Since the probabilities of a distribution must sum to 1, add all the given expressions and set equal to 1:
2k+k+3k+2k2+2k+k2+k+7k2=12k+k+3k+2k^2+2k+k^2+k+7k^2=1
  1. Grouping the linear terms and quadratic terms separately gives:
10k2+9k1=010k^2+9k-1=0
  1. Factoring:
(k+1)(10k1)=0(k+1)(10k-1)=0
  1. Since kk must be a valid (non-negative) probability parameter, we reject k=1k=-1 and take:
k=110k=\frac{1}{10}
  1. We want P(3<x6)=P(x=4)+P(x=5)+P(x=6)P(3<x\le6)=P(x=4)+P(x=5)+P(x=6):
P(3<x6)=2k2+2k+(k2+k)P(3<x\le6)=2k^2+2k+(k^2+k)
  1. Substituting k=110k=\frac{1}{10}:
P(3<x6)=2(1100)+2(110)+(1100+110)P(3<x\le6)=2\left(\frac{1}{100}\right)+2\left(\frac{1}{10}\right)+\left(\frac{1}{100}+\frac{1}{10}\right)
  1. Adding these: P(3<x6)=2100+20100+1100+10100=33100=0.33P(3<x\le6)=\frac{2}{100}+\frac{20}{100}+\frac{1}{100}+\frac{10}{100}=\frac{33}{100}=0.33

Hence, the answer is Option A.

Q3 · 2026

Two distinct numbers aa and bb are selected at random from 1,2,3,,501,2,3, \ldots, 50. The probability, that their product aba b is divisible by 3 , is

  • A.

    2721225\frac{272}{1225}

  • B.

    5611225\frac{561}{1225}

  • C.

    6641225\frac{664}{1225}

  • D.

    825\frac{8}{25}

Answer: C
  1. The total number of ways to choose two distinct numbers from 1 to 50 is:
(502)=1225\binom{50}{2}=1225
  1. The product abab fails to be divisible by 3 only if neither aa nor bb is divisible by 3. So it's easier to count this complementary (unfavorable) case first.

  2. The multiples of 3 from 1 to 50 number:

503=16\left\lfloor\frac{50}{3}\right\rfloor=16

So the numbers not divisible by 3 number 5016=3450-16=34.

  1. The number of unfavorable pairs, where both chosen numbers avoid multiples of 3, is:
(342)=34×332=561\binom{34}{2}=\frac{34\times33}{2}=561
  1. Therefore, the favorable pairs, where the product is divisible by 3, are:
1225561=6641225-561=664
  1. So the required probability is:
6641225\frac{664}{1225}

Hence, the answer is Option C.

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