JEE Main · Mathematics ↓ Falling

Probability appeared 35 times across 3 years — 4% of Mathematics. This question is from Random Variables and Variance.

Year 2026 2025 2024 Total
Questions 9 17 9 35

Let A = [aᵢⱼ] be a 2 × 2 matrix such that aᵢⱼ in 0,1 for all i and j. Let the random variable X denote the possible values of the determinant of the matrix A. Then, the variance of X is:

Solution & Explanation

Related Formula

Variance of a discrete random variable:

Var(X) = Σ Pᵢ Xᵢ² - (Σ Pᵢ Xᵢ)²
Core Logic

A 2 × 2 matrix with binary elements 0,1 has 2⁴ = 16 total configurations. The determinant calculation yields outcomes matching values inside structural set -1, 0, 1.

Probability distribution grid:

XᵢPᵢPᵢ XᵢPᵢ Xᵢ²
-1(3)/(16)-(3)/(16)(3)/(16)
0(10)/(16)00
1(3)/(16)(3)/(16)(3)/(16)
Total1Σ Pᵢ Xᵢ = 0Σ Pᵢ Xᵢ² = (3)/(8)

Step 1: Compute Variance

Plug components directly into statistical equations:

Var(X) = (3)/(8) - (0)² = (3)/(8)
Pattern Recognition

Symmetry in probability distributions centered across 0 means the expected mean E[X] evaluates to zero immediately, saving half your calculation time during variance checks.

Chapter Mix

Class 12 Mathematics: Probability Class 12 Mathematics: Matrices and Determinants

Reference Study Guides

More Probability Previous-Year Questions — Page 2

Q17 jee_main_2026_24_january_morning Binomial Distribution
From a lot containing 10 defective and 90 non-defective bulbs, 8 bulbs are selected one by one with replacement. Then the probability of getting at least 7 defective bulbs is :
  • A. 710⁷
  • B. 8110⁸
  • C. 6710⁸
  • D. 7310⁸

Solution

Related Formula
P(X=k) = nk p^k (1-p)n-k
Core Logic

Total bulbs = 100. Defective bulbs = 10, Non-defective = 90. Probability of defective p = (10)/(100) = (1)/(10). Probability of non-defective q = (90)/(100) = (9)/(10). n = 8 draws with replacement.

Step 1: Apply Binomial Distribution

We need P(X ≥ 7) = P(X = 7) + P(X = 8).

P(X=7) = 87 ((1)/(10))⁷ ((9)/(10))¹ = 8 × (1)/(10⁷) × (9)/(10) = (72)/(10⁸) P(X=8) = 88 ((1)/(10))⁸ ((9)/(10))⁰ = 1 × (1)/(10⁸) = (1)/(10⁸)
Step 2: Sum the Probabilities
P(X ≥ 7) = (72)/(10⁸) + (1)/(10⁸) = (73)/(10⁸)
Pattern Recognition

Drawing "with replacement" firmly mandates a Binomial Distribution approach. When asked for "at least" near the maximum n, direct sum is always optimal.

Chapter Mix

Class 12 Maths: Probability

Q24 jee_main_2026_24_january_evening Sets and Probability
Let S be a set of 5 elements and P(S) denote the power set of S. Let E be an event of choosing an ordered pair (A, B) from the set P(S) × P(S) such that A B =. If the probability of the event E is 3p2q, where p, q in N, then p + q is equal to
Numerical Answer. Answer: 15 to 15

Solution

Related Formula
Probability P(E) = Number of favorable outcomesTotal number of outcomes
Core Logic

Let S = a, b, c, d, e. Since S has 5 elements, P(S) contains 2⁵ = 32 subsets. The total number of ordered pairs (A, B) that can be formed from P(S) × P(S) is:

32 × 32 = (2⁵)² = 2¹⁰ = 4⁵

Alternatively, consider element-wise mapping. For each of the 5 elements in S, it has 4 choices with respect to sets A and B:

Status in AStatus in B
Present ()Present ()
Present ()Absent (x)
Absent (x)Present ()
Absent (x)Absent (x)

Step 1: Satisfying the Condition

For A B =, no element can be present in both A and B simultaneously. This rules out the choice where an element is () in A and () in B.

Thus, each of the 5 elements has exactly 3 valid choices to ensure disjointness. Favorable cases = 3⁵.

Step 2: Calculating Probability

Probability P = FavorableTotal:

P = (3⁵)/(4⁵) = (3⁵)/((2²)⁵) = 3⁵2¹⁰

Comparing this with (3^p)/(2^q):

p = 5, q = 10 p + q = 5 + 10 = 15
Pattern Recognition

Set operations mapping down to element-wise Boolean states (In/Out) transform combinatorial subset problems directly into base-state exponentiation problems (3ⁿ vs 4ⁿ). Disjoint sets exclude exactly one state: (In, In).

Chapter Mix

Class 12 Maths: Probability Class 11 Maths: Sets

Q9 jee_main_2026_28_january_morning Bayes Theorem
A bag contains 10 balls out of which k are red and (10 - k) are black, where 0 ≤ k ≤ 10. If three balls are drawn at random without replacement and all of them are found to be black, then the probability that the bag contains 1 red and 9 black balls is :
  • A. (7)/(11)
  • B. (7)/(55)
  • C. (7)/(110)
  • D. (14)/(55)

Solution

Related Formula
P(Eᵢ | A) = (P(A|Eᵢ)P(Eᵢ))/(Σ P(A|Eⱼ)P(Eⱼ))
Core Logic

Let event A be drawing 3 black balls. Let Ek be the event that the bag initially has k red balls and (10-k) black balls. Assuming all compositions (values of k from 0 to 10) are equally likely initially, P(Ek) = (1)/(11) for all k. We want to find P(E₁ | A).

Step 1: Set up the Conditional Probabilities
P(A | Ek) = 10-kC₃¹⁰C₃

This is only non-zero when 10-k ≥ 3 k ≤ 7.

Using Bayes' theorem:

P(E₁ | A) = P(A | E₁) P(E₁)Σk=0⁷ P(A | Ek) P(Ek)

Since P(Ek) is constant, it cancels out:

P(E₁ | A) = ⁹C₃ / ¹⁰C₃Σk=0⁷ (10-kC₃ / ¹⁰C₃) = ⁹C₃Σk=0⁷ 10-kC₃
Step 2: Series Summation

The denominator is:

Σk=0⁷ 10-kC₃ = ¹⁰C₃ + ⁹C₃ + ⁸C₃ + + ³C₃

Using the identity Σr=mⁿ rCm = ⁿ⁺¹Cm+1 (Hockey-stick identity):

³C₃ + ⁴C₃ + + ¹⁰C₃ = ¹¹C₄
Step 3: Final Probability Calculation
P(E₁ | A) = ⁹C₃¹¹C₄ = ((9 × 8 × 7)/(3 × 2 × 1))/((11 × 10 × 9 × 8)/(4 × 3 × 2 × 1)) = (84)/(330) = (14)/(55)
Pattern Recognition

When picking items and calculating inverse probabilities over all uniform possible states, the denominator transforms into a simple combinations sum evaluated via the hockey-stick identity: Σ rCk = r+1Ck+1.

Chapter Mix

Class 12 Mathematics: Probability Class 11 Mathematics: Permutations and Combinations

Q4 jee_main_2026_28_january_evening Random Variables and Expectation
The probability distribution of a random variable X is given below :
X4k(30)/(7)k(32)/(7)k(34)/(7)k(36)/(7)k(38)/(7)k(40)/(7)k6k
P(X)(2)/(15)(1)/(15)(2)/(15)(1)/(5)(1)/(15)(2)/(15)(1)/(5)(1)/(15)
If E(X) = (263)/(15), then P(X < 20) is equal to:
  • A. (3)/(5)
  • B. (8)/(15)
  • C. (11)/(15)
  • D. (14)/(15)

Solution

Related Formula
E(X) = Σ Xᵢ P(Xᵢ)
Core Logic

Calculate the expected value:

E(X) = (4k)(2)/(15) + ((30k)/(7))(1)/(15) + ((32k)/(7))(2)/(15) + ((34k)/(7))(1)/(5) + ((36k)/(7))(1)/(15) + ((38k)/(7))(2)/(15) + ((40k)/(7))(1)/(5) + (6k)(1)/(15)

Factor out k and sum the products to solve for k using the given condition E(X) = (263)/(15).

Execution

Summing the terms:

E(X) = (k)/(15 × 7) [ (28 × 2) + 30(1) + 32(2) + 34(3) + 36(1) + 38(2) + 40(3) + 42(1) ] E(X) = (k)/(105) [ 56 + 30 + 64 + 102 + 36 + 76 + 120 + 42 ] = (526k)/(105)

Given E(X) = (263)/(15):

(526k)/(105) = (263)/(15) ⇒ (526k)/(7) = 263 ⇒ 2k = 7 ⇒ k = (7)/(2)

Substitute k to find the actual values of X: 4k = 14, (30)/(7)k = 15, (32)/(7)k = 16, (34)/(7)k = 17, (36)/(7)k = 18, (38)/(7)k = 19, (40)/(7)k = 20, 6k = 21.

We need P(X < 20):

P(X < 20) = ΣX=14¹⁹ P(X) = (2)/(15) + (1)/(15) + (2)/(15) + (3)/(15) + (1)/(15) + (2)/(15) = (11)/(15)
Pattern Recognition

When E(X) is provided with a parameterized state variable k, summing the discrete expected value directly unlocks the exact sample space scaling.

Chapter Mix

Class 12 Maths: Probability

Q60 jee_main_2025_02_april_evening Bayes' Theorem
Given three identical bags each containing 10 balls, whose colours are as follows: array|l|l|l|l| & Red & Blue & Green Bag I & 3 & 2 & 5 Bag II & 4 & 3 & 3 Bag III & 5 & 1 & 4 array A person chooses a bag at random and takes out a ball. If the ball is Red, the probability that it is from bag I is p and if the ball is Green, the probability that it is from bag III is q, then the value of ((1)/(p) + (1)/(q)) is:
  • A. 6
  • B. 9
  • C. 7
  • D. 8

Solution

Related Formula
Bayes' Theorem: P(E₁|A) = P(E₁) P(A|E₁)Σi=1ⁿ P(Eᵢ) P(A|Eᵢ)
Core Logic

This is a conditional probability problem. We apply Bayes' Theorem twice: first for the Red ball, then for the Green ball.

Step 1: Solve for p (Red ball)

Let E₁, E₂, E₃ be the events of choosing Bag I, Bag II, and Bag III respectively. Since bags are identical, P(E₁) = P(E₂) = P(E₃) = (1)/(3).

The probabilities of drawing a Red ball from each bag are:

  • P(R|E₁) = (3)/(10)
  • P(R|E₂) = (4)/(10)
  • P(R|E₃) = (5)/(10)
  • Applying Bayes' Theorem:

p = P(E₁|R) = (P(E₁) P(R|E₁))/(P(E₁)P(R|E₁) + P(E₂)P(R|E₂) + P(E₃)P(R|E₃)) p = ((3)/(10))/((3)/(10) + (4)/(10) + (5)/(10)) = (3)/(12) = (1)/(4)

Thus, (1)/(p) = 4.

Step 2: Solve for q (Green ball)

The probabilities of drawing a Green ball from each bag are:

  • P(G|E₁) = (5)/(10)
  • P(G|E₂) = (3)/(10)
  • P(G|E₃) = (4)/(10)
  • Applying Bayes' Theorem:

q = P(E₃|G) = (P(E₃) P(G|E₃))/(P(E₁)P(G|E₁) + P(E₂)P(G|E₂) + P(E₃)P(G|E₃)) q = ((4)/(10))/((5)/(10) + (3)/(10) + (4)/(10)) = (4)/(12) = (1)/(3)

Thus, (1)/(q) = 3.

Step 3: Calculate the requested value

Sum the inverse values:

(1)/(p) + (1)/(q) = 4 + 3 = 7
Pattern Recognition

Simplification of Bayes' denominator: Since all prior events have identical probability P(Eᵢ) = 1/k, they cancel out of the Bayes' fraction entirely, allowing you to work directly with the raw ball counts.

Chapter Mix

Class 12 Mathematics: Probability

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