0580 Probability Teaching Pack v2

Teaching Pack
Probability of combined events

Cambridge IGCSE™
Mathematics 0580
This Teaching Pack can also be used with the following syllabuses:
• Cambridge IGCSE™ (9–1) Mathematics 0980
• Cambridge IGCSE™ International Mathematics 0607
• Cambridge O Level Mathematics 4024
Version 2
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Contents
Introduction ........................................................................................................................................................ 4
Skill: Probability of combined events ................................................................................................................. 5
Common misconceptions: Probability of combined events ........................................................................... 8
Lesson 1: Sample (Possibility) space diagrams ............................................................................................... 9
Lesson 2: Area and volume ............................................................................................................................ 11
Lesson 3: Draw and interpret tree diagrams .................................................................................................. 12
Lesson 4: Conditional probability (extended) ................................................................................................. 13
Lesson 5: Tree diagrams & more complex probabilities ................................................................................ 14
Links to websites: Probability ........................................................................................................................ 15
Worksheets and answers ................................................................................................................................ 16
Icons used in this pack:
Lesson
Video
Assessment opportunity
Teaching Pack: Probability of combined events
Introduction
This pack will help you to develop your learners’ mathematical skills as defined by assessment
objective 1 (AO1 Knowledge and understanding of mathematical techniques) in the course
syllabus.
Important note
Our Teaching Packs have been written by classroom teachers to help you deliver
topics and skills that can be challenging. Use these materials to supplement your
teaching and engage your learners. You can also use them to help you create
lesson plans for other skills.
This content is designed to give you and your learners the chance to explore mathematical
skills. It is not intended as specific practice for exam papers.
This is one of a range of Teaching Packs. Each pack is based on one unit of work related to a
mathematical theme. The packs can be used in any order to suit your teaching sequence.
In this pack you will find the lesson plans and worksheets for learners you will need to successfully
complete the teaching of this unit.
4 Cambridge IGCSE Mathematics (0580)

Skill: Probability of combined events

This Teaching Pack links to the following syllabus content (see syllabus for detail):
• C/E8.5 Calculate the probability of simple combined events, using possibility diagrams,
tree diagrams and Venn diagrams.
• E8.6 Calculate conditional probability using Venn diagrams, tree diagrams and tables.
For assessments from 2025

• C/E8.3 Calculate the probability of combined events using where appropriate:
● sample space diagrams
● Venn diagrams
● tree diagrams.
• E8.4 Calculate conditional probability using Venn diagrams, tree diagrams and
tables.
The pack covers the following mathematical skills, adapted from AO1: Demonstrate
knowledge and understanding of mathematical techniques (see syllabus for assessment
objectives):
• performing calculations and procedures by suitable methods, including using a

calculator

AO1: Knowledge and understanding of mathematical techniques
• understand and use mathematical notation and terminology
• perform calculations with and without a calculator
Prior knowledge
Knowledge from the following syllabus topics is useful for the development of skills in this unit.
• C/E1.2 Understand notation of Venn diagrams.

• C/E1.8 Use the four rules for calculations with whole numbers, decimals and fractions
(including mixed numbers and improper fractions), including correct ordering of
operations and use of brackets.
• C/E8.1 Calculate the probability of a single event as either a fraction, decimal or
percentage.
• C/E8.2 Understand and use the probability scale from 0 to 1.
• C/E8.3 Understand that the probability of an event occurring = 1 – the probability of the
event not occurring.

• C/E1.2 understand and use set language, notation and Venn diagrams to describe
sets
E1.2 represent relationships between sets.
• C/E1.6 use the four operations for calculations with integers, fractions and decimals,
including correct ordering of operations and use of brackets.
• C/E8.1 Understand and use the probability scale from 0 to 1.
Calculate the probability of a single event.
Understand that the probability of an even not occurring = 1 – the probability of
Cambridge IGCSE Mathematics (0580) 5

the even occurring.

E8.1 Understand and use probability notation.
Going forward
The knowledge and skills gained from this Teaching Pack can be used for when you teach
learners:
• Cambridge AS&A Level Mathematics 9709 – Probability and statistics

Before you begin

This Teaching Pack includes a Teacher Introduction video to which you should refer before
using the resources in this pack. The video is available to watch in Resource Plus within the unit
relevant to this Teaching Pack.
The video introduces the resources available for teaching this unit and explains how they can be
used to successfully deliver these skills to your learners. In particular, the video highlights typical
learner misconceptions and common errors that this Teaching Pack will help you to overcome.

Common misconceptions: Probability of combined events

Possibility space diagrams – When rolling two dice counting the event 1,3 and 3,1 as the same.
The best way of dealing with this is to make the dice distinct (different colours). Some learners then
believe that 5,5 can be then be the other way round as well, but this can be reasoned away more
easily.
Tree diagrams – Learners often find these confusing. By tackling the problems using possibility
space diagrams and fraction arithmetic first this should enable learners to better understand what a
tree diagram represents. It is important to approach probability questions from a variety of methods
so that learners can understand them and their limitations. The lessons are designed to encourage
this approach and often show how problems can be solved by at least two different methods.
Conditional Probability – Failing to recognise that they have more information than they thought.
Not using this information properly to reduce down the size of the possibility space to just those
outcomes that are known to have happened. The best way of tackling this is to get the learners to
go on a journey with you to see how the condition is applied. e.g. Roll a die, ask the learners to
guess what number you have, then give them a hint, how has this reduced their chances?
Advanced probability without a tree diagram – Not including all of the cases e.g. I toss 3 coins,
what is the probability of getting 2 heads – only multiplying 2 probabilities together and failing to
notice that three things happened so 3 probabilities need to be multiplied together. You can get
round this by ensuring that the learners always write down a number for each element.

Lesson 1: Sample (Possibility) space diagrams
Resources • Whiteboard
• Lesson 1 Sample (Possibility) space diagrams
presentation
• Worksheets 1a, 1b.
Learning By the end of the lesson:

objectives • all learners should be able to calculate the probability of
two combined events using a sample (possibility) space
diagram.
Timings Activity
Starter/Introduction
Teach this lesson using Lesson 1 Sample (Possibility) space diagrams
presentation.
Begin by introducing learners to an example of probability (slide 1) that will feed into
the following activity (the example is game involving picking 6 numbered balls from
59 number balls).
Follow with discussion around matching games and playing the class game leading
to the creation a of sample (possibility) space diagram to solve the problem (slides
4-7)
OR
Have learners completed the activity on Worksheet 1a Two player game.
Learners play the Two player game and discuss winning strategies, leading to the
creation of a sample (possibility) space diagram to solve the problem.
Main lesson
Using slides 8-10 with learners, complete the on-screen activity.
This is an example of how to draw up a sample (possibility) space diagram when

probabilities are unequal. Focus here is to ensure that the learners understand the
importance of the outcomes all being equally likely. This example deals with the
situation for a simple case.
Follow up with Worksheet 1b Sample (Possibility) space diagrams with learners.
OR
Use the activity on slides 11 and 12 – Is rock, paper, scissors a fair game?
Investigate this by playing the game in the classroom and recording the numbers of
wins, loses and draws to calculate an experimental probability. Does this match to
theory via a possibility space diagram? Discuss reasons why they may not match.

Plenary
Using slide 13 with learners, complete the final lesson activity. This provides an
opportunity to assess via contextual example.

Lesson 2: Area and volume
• Lesson 2 Finding probabilities using fraction
multiplication.

objectives • all learners should be able to find probabilities of
combined events using fraction arithmetic.
Timings Activity
Teach this lesson using Lesson 2 Finding probabilities using fraction multiplication.
Start by using the test on slide 3, Fraction arithmetic reminder. Fraction arithmetic
(multiplication and addition) is vital in using probability tree diagrams. The starter
addresses this. Learners should attempt as many of the questions as they can. The
teacher can then ask learners to give their answers and explain their method,
before clicking on the slide to reveal the correct answer. This could be done as a
competitive game between left and right halves of the classroom etc. Make certain
Learners can multiply fractions and add with a common denominator before
attempting the lesson.
Main lesson
Learners should tackle the problem on slide 4 first and then the teacher can show
how the result can be obtained both using a possibility (sample) space diagram and
using fraction arithmetic (slide 5). This leads to finding probabilities by multiplying
fractions together. Slide 6 can be used as an example to practise this idea.
Using slides 7 to 11, and mini whiteboards (or paper) check learners’ understanding
of the multiply rule. It is important that they understand that they need to multiply 3
fractions together even if it says ‘late on the first day, but not on the next two’ –
learners often miss this.
Extension: For a more able class you could provide some conditional probability
style questions as an extension.
Give learners Worksheet 2a Which competition? to complete.
Can they find the probability of winning each competition? Which has the best
chance of winning?
Plenary
Using slides 12 and 13, go back to the original question and introduce the concept
of multiplying probabilities together and then adding up the ones you need. The key
ideas from this lesson feed into the next lesson on tree diagrams to help make
sense of them.

Lesson 3: Draw and interpret tree diagrams
• Lesson 3 Draw and interpret tree diagrams presentation
• Worksheet 3a.

objectives • all learners should be able to interpret and draw
probability tree diagrams
• all learners should be able to use probability tree
diagrams to solve probability questions involving
independent events.
Timings Activity
Teach this lesson using Lesson 3 Draw and interpret tree diagrams presentation.
Introduce the recap question on slide 3 to learners. Let the learners tackle this
question using any method – fraction multiplication or possibility space diagrams.
Slides 4 – 7 have the answers and show both methods to help understanding.
Main lesson
Slides 8-15 show how the same question could be tackled using a tree diagram.
Learners often get confused by tree diagrams, many failing to understand what the
pathways are for and seeing it as a random assortment of fractions and lines. It is
important to explain the structure by describing the journey and the way the tree
diagram is a map of the 4 possible outcomes: WW, WL, LW, LL. The slides build
the diagram in a way that helps this to be understood, but there is no substitute for
drawing it yourself as you explain.
Give learners Worksheet 3a Probability tree diagrams. This provides practice

questions, scaffolded with the easiest at the start of the sheet. All are “with
replacement”, although some mirror use of conditional probability.
Plenary
Complete the lesson by introducing learners to slides 16 and 17. These get the
learners thinking about how the tree diagram would be altered by conditional events
and to begin thinking about “without replacement” problems. Learners should
hopefully see that tree diagrams can be much easier than sample (possibility)
space diagrams for solving these kinds of problems.

Lesson 4: Conditional probability (extended)
• Lesson 4 Conditional probability
• Worksheets 4a, 4b.

objectives • some learners should be able to understand and be able
to calculate conditional probabilities.
Timings Activity
Teach this lesson using Lesson 4 Conditional probability presentation.
Introduce learners to the problem on slide 3, and ask them to suggest the answer
and reason why. The puzzle is designed to generate debate about issues
surrounding ‘conditional probability’. It is a good starting point.
Main lesson
Define conditional probability (slide 5) and demonstrate how we should think about
conditional probability. Learners need to see how the extra information they have
been given is reducing the size of the possibility space and that they calculate the
probability for conditional cases using the reduced possibility space. Practical
examples can help with this. E.g. roll a die, ask learners to guess what number you
have, then give them a hint, how has this reduced their odds?
Next, give learners Worksheet 4a Conditional probability to complete. This provides

practice questions – scaffolded with the easiest at the start of the sheet.
OR
Extension: Worksheet 4b Hard conditional probability puzzle. This really tests

learners’ understanding of conditional probability and is quite challenging.
Follow up by playing the game on slide 9 or use the random number generator tool
in Resource Plus.
The game allows learners to practise conditional probability and to help Learners
grasp how conditional probability works.
Plenary
Slides 10 and 11 provide questions to check understanding and provide
assessment opportunities – use mini whiteboards or paper.

Lesson 5: Tree diagrams & more complex probabilities
• Worksheets 5a.

objectives • some learners should be able to use tree diagrams to
find the probability of more complex combined events
involving conditional probability.
Timings Activity
Teach this lesson using Lesson 5 Tree diagrams and more complex probabilities
presentation.
This lesson is focused on developing more complex techniques to solve probability

problems. The starter puzzle on slide 3 is deceptively easy to solve but provides a
good starting point for learners.
Main lesson
Introduce the problem on slides 4 and 5 to learners, and work through it in class.
This looks at how we can use tree diagrams to solve problems involving conditional
probability.
Most of the questions in the lesson are “without replacement” questions. It is

important for learners to understand that when two things are taken at the same
time, this signifies “without replacement” and that they can draw tree diagrams to
assist them. The first problem can be used to illustrate how to draw a tree diagram
with conditional probabilities.
The second problem, on slide 6, can also be solved in this way, but can instead be
used as a platform to manage without a tree diagram. In fact drawing the tree
diagram is cumbersome.
Give learners Worksheet 5a Probability tree diagrams, which contains practice

questions that are scaffolded, with the easiest at the start of the sheet.
Plenary
Finish by presenting the problem on slide 7 to learners. Encourage learners to
recognise that it is often easier to do 1 – the probability they need.
This question can also be used to encourage learners to move away from using
tree diagrams

Links to websites: Probability

The following links to websites provide further opportunities to create activities related to this topic
are:
https://nrich.maths.org/9646
An article on conditional probability in real life.
A hard puzzle that can be solved with a tree diagram.
Coin tossing games.

Worksheets and answers
Worksheets Answers
For use in Lesson 1:
1a: Two player game 17
1b: Sample (Probability) space diagrams 20 33
2a: Which competition? 22 34
3a: Probability tree diagrams 23 35
4a: Conditional probability 27 38
4b: Hard conditional probability puzzle 30 39
5a: Probability tree diagrams 31 40

Worksheet 1a: Two player game

Equipment:
Playing Board, two dice, 10 blue tokens and 10 red tokens to represent crates.
Back story:
You both work for an interstellar packaging company and you need to pack all of your crates of
goods onto the space craft as quickly as possible. The first to pack all their crates wins the game.
Rules:
Take it in turn to place your crates into the loading bays numbered 0 to 5.
Only 4 crates can occupy each loading bay.
When all the crates have been allocated loading can begin.
To load an item take it in turns to roll two fair six sided dice and find the difference in their scores.
The difference represents the loading bay that you can pack a crate from. If you have a crate in
that bay move it into the space craft’s hold. If you do not have a crate on the bay, your turn ends.
The first person to clear all their crates from the loading bay into the hold is the winner.

Worksheet 1a: Two player game continued
Cargo Bay 0
Cargo Hold
Cargo Bay 1
Cargo Bay 2
Cargo Bay 3
Cargo Bay 4
Cargo Bay 5

Worksheet 1a: Two player game continued

Worksheet 1b: Sample (Probability) space diagrams

1) Draw a sample (possibility) space diagram to show all the possible outcomes
when you spin the spinner shown opposite twice and multiply the scores
together.
a) What is the probability of the score being even?
b) What is the probability of the score being

below 10?
2) In a game the player must roll a tetrahedral die (numbered 1, 2, 3, 4) and a normal six sided
die (numbered 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6).
a) Draw a sample (possibility) space diagram to

show the outcomes from rolling the dice.
b) What is the probability that you get the same

score on each die?

Worksheet 1b: Sample (Probability) space diagrams

continued
3) Draw a sample (possibility) space diagram to show all the outcomes for a game or
rock/scissors/paper.
Does your diagram indicate that the game is fair?
4) A bag contains a red sweet, a blue sweet and a yellow sweet. To win a sweet a player flips a
coin, if they get a head then they select a sweet from the bag. Draw a sample (possibility)
space to show all the possible outcomes.
What is the probability that the player wins a blue sweet?
5) How can you draw a sample (possibility) space diagram to show the outcomes from
tossing a fair coin 3 times? Draw one. Use it to calculate the probability of getting exactly
one head.

Worksheet 2a: Which competition?

By calculating the probability of winning each competition, decide which of these
competitions gives you the best chance of winning:
You roll a fair 4 sided dice 12

times. The dice is numbered:
Toss a fair coin 6 times. You win if
2, 3, 4 and 5
all 6 tosses are heads
You win if all of your throws show
a prime number
You roll a fair 6 sided dice 3 times. You shuffle a standard deck of 52
The dice is numbered: playing cards – no jokers.
1,2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 You draw a card and replace it
before drawing another card.
You win if all of your throws are a
6 You win if both cards are an ace
You are given a bag with 2 red

You are given 5 great features of tickets and a black ticket.
a holiday resort and have to list You have to draw 10 tickets from
them from best to worst. the bag without getting the black
To win you have to match the ticket.
exact order of the expert panel Every time you draw a ticket you
replace it in the bag

Worksheet 3a: Probability tree diagrams

1) A bag contains 5 balls, 3 are red and 2 are blue. An experiment is conducted by taking a ball from
the bag at random, noting its colour and then returning it to the bag. A second ball is then drawn
randomly from the bag.
Copy and complete the tree diagram below to show the outcomes from the experiment.
1st Draw 2nd Draw

/5
3
Red P(Red then Red) = _______
3
/5 Red
____ Blue P(Red then Blue) = _______
____
Red P(Blue then Red) = _______
____ Blue
____ Blue P(Blue then Blue) = _______
Use your tree diagram to calculate the probability of:
a) Two red balls being drawn from the bag.
b) Exactly one blue ball being drawn from the bag.
2) John and Stefan are playing a tournament in which they will play each other at tennis and then at
badminton. They always play to win and no draws are allowed. The probability that John wins the
tennis game is 1/3. The probability that John wins the badminton game is 4/7. Copy and complete
the tree diagram.
Tennis Badminton
/7
4
John
P(John then John) = _______
John Wins
/3
1
Wins Stefan
____ P(John then Stefan) = _______
Wins
____ John
P(Stefan then John = _______
____ Stefan Wins
Wins
____ Stefan
P(Stefan then Stefan) = _______
Wins
Use your tree diagram to calculate the probability that:
a) Stefan wins at both tennis and badminton.
b) John wins at least one of the games played.

Worksheet 3a: Probability tree diagrams continued

3) Experience shows that a bus is late on week day with probability 1/5. Draw a tree diagram to show
the likelihood of the bus being late on two consecutive week days. Use your tree diagram to
calculate the probability that the bus is late on exactly one of the two days.
4) A biased coin has a probability of 2/3 of landing heads up. An experiment involves tossing the
coin three times. Copy and complete the tree diagram below showing the outcomes from the
experiment. Use your tree diagram to calculate the probability that from the three tosses exactly
2 heads were obtained.
1st Toss 2nd Toss 3rd Toss
/3
2
P(H, H, H ) = _______
2
/3 P(H, H, T ) = _______
____
Heads ____ P(H, T, H ) = _______

2
/3
____
P(H, T, T ) = _______
____
____ ____ ____
Tails P(T, H, H ) = _______
____
____ P(T, H, T ) = _______
____
P(T, T, H ) = _______
____
P(T, T, T ) = _______

5) Asher is going to school tomorrow. If it is raining the probability that she walks to school is 0.3. If
it is not raining the probability that she walks to school is 0.7. The probability that it rains is 0.1.
a) Draw a tree diagram to describe this situation.
b) Calculate the probability that Asher walks to school tomorrow.
6) The probability that a learner driver passes their driving test is set to be 0.4. If they fail the first
test the probability that they pass on the second test is 0.5. If they fail the second test the
probability that they pass on the third attempt is 0.3. Draw a tree diagram to show this
information. Hence find the probability that the driver passes their test before their fourth
attempt.


7) The tree diagram below shows the probability of event B happening after event A.
4
/9 P(Red then Red) = /15
2
B
??? A
____ Not P(Red then Blue) = _______
____ P(Blue then Red) = _______

B
____ Not A
5
/9 Not P(Blue then Blue) = _______
a) Use the tree diagram to find the probability the probability of A.
b) Find all the missing values in the tree diagram.

Worksheet 4a: Conditional probability

1) Forty people were asked if they had drunk tea or coffee
in the last 24 hours. The results were put into the Venn 7
diagram opposite.
Select a person at random from the survey, find: 9 8 16

a) The probability that they drank tea
Tea Coffee
b) The probability that they drank both tea and coffee
c) If I choose a tea drinker what is the probability that they also drank coffee?
2) Fifty learners were asked if they were right or left

handed. The results were put into a Venn diagram:
?
a) What number is missing from the Venn diagram?
20 8 7
b) If I pick a random male what is the probability that Male Left

they are right handed.
c) If I pick a learner at random what is the probability that they are left handed
d) If I pick a right handed learner at random what is the probability that they are a girl?

Worksheet 4a: Conditional probability continued

3) The Venn diagram shows the results when fifty
learners at a school were asked which clubs they Chess
attended.
11
a) If I pick one of the fifty learners at random what
is the probability that they attend maths club?
7
6 23
8
b) If I pick a maths club member what is the
probability that they attend another club?
Maths Tennis
c) I pick a chess club member what is the probability that they attend maths club?
d) If I pick a member of the maths club what is the probability that they attend tennis club?
4) Let E ={1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15}

From the set of numbers above:
a) What is the probability that I pick a prime number
b) What is the probability that I pick a square number that is a factor of 12
c) If I pick a factor of 12, what is the probability that it is a square number?
d) If I pick a square number what is the probability that it is a factor of 12?
e) If I pick a prime number what is the probability that it is a factor of 12?

Worksheet 4a: Conditional probability continued

5) I roll two fair dice, one is red and one is blue. What is the probability:
a) That I have a score of more than three on the red die if my total score is nine?
b) The score on the red die is double that on the blue die if my total score is more than 8?
6) In a school of 90 learners, 47 study Maths and 57 study English. Twelve learners study neither
subject. I pick an English learner at random, what is the probability that they also study Maths?

Worksheet 4b: Hard conditional probability puzzle

A red die and a blue die are rolled. The outcomes can be illustrated in the sample (possibility)
space diagram below
Red Die Roll
Blue Die Roll
Let S = Total score of both dice is eight
E = Total score from both dice is even
B = The score on the blue die is prime
R = The score on the red die is more than 4
Calculate the following probabilities
a) P(S) b) P(B) c) P(R)
d) P(E) e) P(S given that R) f) P(R given that S)
g) P(R given that E) h) P(E given that R) i) P(R given that B)
j) P(B given that R) k) P(S given that E) l) P(E given that S)
m) P(B given that S) n) P(S given that B)

Worksheet 5a: Probability tree diagrams

1) A box contains 12 chocolates, 7 are milk chocolate and 5 are dark chocolate. Two chocolates are
taken from the box. Copy and complete the tree diagram below to show the types of chocolates
taken from the box.
1st Chocolate 2nd Chocolate

6
/11 P(Milk then Milk) = _______
Milk
/12
7 Milk
____ Dark P(Milk then Dark) = _______
____ P(Dark then Milk) = _______

Milk
Dark
____
____ Dark P(Dark then Dark) = _______
Use your tree diagram to calculate the probability of getting two different types of chocolate.
2) A bag contains ten tickets, numbered 1 to 10 inclusively. Two tickets are drawn from the bag at
the same time. Draw a tree diagram to show the outcomes from. Find the probability that both
tickets are even numbers.
3) The probability that it rains on a particular day is 1/5. If it rains the probability that it rains the next
day is 2/3, if it does not rain the probability that it rains remains at 1/5. Find the probability that it
rains exactly once over a three-day period.


4) Bag A contains 4 red discs and 3 green discs
Bag B contains 3 red discs and 3 green discs.
A disc is drawn at random from Bag A and placed in Bag B. A second disc is then drawn from
Bag B.
What is the probability that the disc from Bag B is green?
5) The following numbered tiles are placed in a bag:
1 1 2 2 2 3
Claudia takes one of the tiles at random. She keeps it and then takes a second tile.
a) What is the probability that the second tile is smaller than the first tile?
b) What is the probability that the sum of the two tiles is odd?
6) In a bag there are 4 red balls in a bag and some blue balls. I take two balls out of the bag
without replacement. The probability that both balls are red is 2/7. How many blue balls are in the
bag?

Worksheet 1b: Answers

1) Draw a sample (possibility) space diagram to show all the possible outcomes when you
spin the spinner shown opposite twice and multiply the scores together.
a) What is the probability of the score being even?

16
/25
b) What is the probability of the score being below 10? 1 2 3 4 5
3
/5
1 1 2 3 4 5
2 2 4 6 8 10
3 3 6 9 12 15
4 4 8 12 16 20
5 5 10 15 20 25
2) In a game the player must roll a tetrahedral die (numbered 1, 2, 3, 4) and a normal six sided
die (numbered 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6).
a) Draw a sample (possibility) space diagram to show 1 2 3 4

the outcomes from rolling the dice.
1 X
b) What is the probability that you get the same score on each 2 X
die? 1/6
3 X
4 X
3) Draw a sample (possibility) space diagram to show all the outcomes for a game or
rock/scissors/paper.
Does your diagram indicate that the game is fair? Game is fair, but see lesson
5) A bag contains a red sweet, a blue sweet and a yellow sweet. To win a sweet a player flips a
coin, if they get a head then they select a sweet from the bag. Draw a sample (possibility)
space to show all the possible outcomes.
What is the probability that the player wins a blue sweet? 1/6
6) How can you draw a sample (possibility) space diagram to show the outcomes from
tossing a fair coin 3 times? Draw one. Use it to calculate the probability of getting exactly
one head.
P(1 head and 2 tails in any order) = 3/8

Worksheet 2a: Answers

1) 0.56 = 0.015625
2) (0.75)12 = 0.031676
3) 1/216 = 0.0046296
4) 1/169 = 0.005917
5) 1/120 = 0.0083333
6) (2/3)10 = 0.0173415

Worksheet 3a: answers

1) A bag contains 5 balls, 3 are red and 2 are blue. An experiment is conducted by taking a ball from
the bag at random, noting its colour and then returning it to the bag. A second ball is then drawn
randomly from the bag.
Copy and complete the tree diagram below to show the outcomes from the experiment.
1st Draw 2nd Draw

/5
3 9
/25
Red P(Red then Red) = _______
3
/5 Red
2
/5 Blue
6
/25
P(Red then Blue) = _______
____
3
/5
____
Red /25
6
P(Blue then Red) = _______
/5
2
____ Blue
2
/5
____ Blue
4
/25
P(Blue then Blue) = _______
Use your tree diagram to calculate the probability of:
a) Two red balls being drawn from the bag. 9

/25
b) Exactly one blue ball being drawn from the bag. /25
12
2) John and Stefan are playing a tournament in which they will play each other at tennis and then at
badminton. They always play to win and no draws are allowed. The probability that John wins the
tennis game is 1/3. The probability that John wins the badminton game is 4/7. Copy and complete
the tree diagram.
Tennis Badminton
/7
4
John 4
/21
P(John then John) = _______
John Wins
/3
1
Wins Stefan 3
/21
3
/7
____ P(John then Stefan) = _______
Wins
4
/7
____ John 8
/21
/3 P(Stefan then John = _______
____2
Stefan Wins
Wins 3
/7
____ Stefan 6
/21
P(Stefan then Stefan) = _______
Wins
Use your tree diagram to calculate the probability that:
b) Stefan wins at both tennis and badminton. 6

/21
b) John wins at least one of the games played. /21

15

Worksheet 3a: answers continued

3) Experience shows that a bus is late on week day with probability 1/5. Draw a tree diagram to show
the likelihood of the bus being late on two consecutive week days. Use your tree diagram to
calculate the probability that the bus is late on exactly one of the two days.
1
/5 x 4/5 + 4/5 x 1/5 = 8/25
4) A biased coin has a probability of 2/3 of landing heads up. An experiment involves tossing the
coin three times. Copy and complete the tree diagram below showing the outcomes from the
experiment. Use your tree diagram to calculate the probability that from the three tosses exactly
2 heads were obtained. 12/27
1st Toss 2nd Toss 3rd Toss
2
/3 P(H, H, H ) = 8
/27
_______
/3
2
P(H, H, T ) =
4
/27
_______
/3
1
____
Heads 2
/3 P(H, T, H ) =
4
/27
_______
2
/3 ____
1
/3
____
P(H, T, T ) =
2
/27
_______
1
/3
____
1
/3
____
2
/3
____
2
/3
____
Tails P(T, H, H ) =
4
/27
_______
____
1
/3
/3 1
P(T, H, T ) =
2
/27
_______
____
/3
2
____
P(T, T, H ) =
2
/27
_______
1
/3
____ 1
/27
P(T, T, T ) = _______
5) Asher is going to school tomorrow. If it is raining the probability that she walks to school is 0.3. If
it is not raining the probability that she walks to school is 0.7. The probability that it rains is 0.1.
a) Draw a tree diagram to describe this situation.
b) Calculate the probability that Asher walks to school tomorrow.
0.1 x 0.3 + 0.9 x 0.7 = 0.66
6) The probability that a learner driver passes their driving test is set to be 0.4. If they fail the first
test the probability that they pass on the second test is 0.5. If they fail the second test the
probability that they pass on the third attempt is 0.3. Draw a tree diagram to show this
information. Hence find the probability that the driver passes their test before their fourth
attempt.
0.4 + 0.6 x 0.5 + 0.6 x 0.5 x 0.3 = 0.79

Worksheet 3a: answers continued

7) The tree diagram below shows the probability of event B happening after event A.
4
/9 P(Red then Red) = 2
/15
B
3
/10 A 1
/6
5
/9
____ Not B P(Red then Blue) = _______
4
/9
____
14
/45
B P(Blue then Red) = _______
7
/10
____ Not A
7
/18
5
/9 Not B P(Blue then Blue) = _______
a) Use the tree diagram to find the probability of A.
2
/15 ÷ 4/9 = 3/10
b) Find all the missing values in the tree diagram.


Question 1
a) 17/40
b) 1/5
c) 8/17
Question 2
a) 15
b) 5/7
c) 3/10
d) 3/7
Question 3
a) 21
/50
b) 13/21
c) 7/18
d) 2/7
Question 4
a) 2/5
b) 2/15
c) 1/3
d) 2/3
e) 1/3
Question 5
a) ¾
b) 1/10
Question 6
/57
26

Worksheet 4b: answers

5
a) P(S) =
36
1
b) P(B) =
2
1
c) P(R) =
3
1
d) P(E) =
2
1
e) P(S given that R)
6
2
f) P(R given that S) =
5
1
g) P(R given that E) =
3
1
h) P(E given that R)=
2
1
i) P(R given that B)
3
1
j) P(B given that R)
2
5
k) P(S given that E)
18
l) P(E given that S) = 1

3
m) P(B given that S)
5
1
n) P(S given that B) =
6


1) A box contains 12 chocolates, 7 are milk chocolate and 5 are dark chocolate. Two chocolates are
taken from the box. Copy and complete the tree diagram below to show the types of chocolates
taken from the box.
1st Chocolate 2nd Chocolate

/11
6
42
/132
Milk P(Milk then Milk) = _______
/12
7 Milk
____ Dark P(Milk then Dark) = _______
35
/132
5
/11
____
7
/11 P(Dark then Milk) = _______
35
/132
Milk
Dark
____
5
/12
____
4
/11 Dark P(Dark then Dark) = 20
_______
/132
Use your tree diagram to calculate the probability of getting two different types of chocolate. 70
/132
2) A bag contains ten tickets, numbered 1 to 10 inclusively. Two tickets are drawn from the bag at
the same time. Draw a tree diagram to show the outcomes from. Find the probability that both
tickets are even numbers. 2
/9
3) The probability that it rains on a particular day is 1/5. If it rains the probability that it rains the next
day is 2/3, if it does not rain the probability that it rains remains at 1/5. Find the probability that it
rains exactly once over a three-day period. 88/375
4) Bag A contains 4 red discs and 3 green discs

Bag B contains 3 red discs and 3 green discs.
A disc is drawn at random from Bag A and placed in Bag B. A second disc is then drawn from
Bag B.
What is the probability that the disc from Bag B is green? 24/49
5) The following numbered tiles are placed in a bag:
1 1 2 2 2 3
Claudia takes one of the tiles at random. She keeps it and then takes a second tile.
a) What is the probability that the second tile is smaller than the first tile? 11
/30
b) What is the probability that the sum of the two tiles is odd? 3
/5
7) In a bag there are 4 red balls in a bag and some blue balls. I take two balls out of the bag
without replacement. The probability that both balls are red is 2/7. How many blue balls are in the
bag?
3 blue balls

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Teaching Pack

Probability of combined events

Icons used in this pack:

4 Cambridge IGCSE Mathematics (0580)

Skill: Probability of combined events

For assessments from 2025

• performing calculations and procedures by suitable methods, including using a

For assessments from 2025

• C/E1.2 Understand notation of Venn diagrams.

For assessments from 2025

Cambridge IGCSE Mathematics (0580) 5

the even occurring.

• Cambridge AS&A Level Mathematics 9709 – Probability and statistics

6 Cambridge IGCSE Mathematics (0580)

Before you begin

Cambridge IGCSE Mathematics (0580) 7

Common misconceptions: Probability of combined events

8 Cambridge IGCSE Mathematics (0580)

Lesson 1: Sample (Possibility) space diagrams

Learning By the end of the lesson:

Have learners completed the activity on Worksheet 1a Two player game.

This is an example of how to draw up a sample (possibility) space diagram when

Follow up with Worksheet 1b Sample (Possibility) space diagrams with learners.

Cambridge IGCSE Mathematics (0580) 9

10 Cambridge IGCSE Mathematics (0580)

Lesson 2: Area and volume

Learning By the end of the lesson:

Give learners Worksheet 2a Which competition? to complete.

Cambridge IGCSE Mathematics (0580) 11

Lesson 3: Draw and interpret tree diagrams

Learning By the end of the lesson:

Give learners Worksheet 3a Probability tree diagrams. This provides practice

12 Cambridge IGCSE Mathematics (0580)

Lesson 4: Conditional probability (extended)

Learning By the end of the lesson:

Next, give learners Worksheet 4a Conditional probability to complete. This provides

Extension: Worksheet 4b Hard conditional probability puzzle. This really tests

Cambridge IGCSE Mathematics (0580) 13

Lesson 5: Tree diagrams & more complex probabilities

Learning By the end of the lesson:

This lesson is focused on developing more complex techniques to solve probability

Most of the questions in the lesson are “without replacement” questions. It is

Give learners Worksheet 5a Probability tree diagrams, which contains practice

14 Cambridge IGCSE Mathematics (0580)

Links to websites: Probability

Cambridge IGCSE Mathematics (0580) 15

Worksheets and answers

For use in Lesson 1:

1a: Two player game 17

1b: Sample (Probability) space diagrams 20 33

For use in Lesson 2:

2a: Which competition? 22 34

For use in Lesson 3:

3a: Probability tree diagrams 23 35

For use in Lesson 4:

4a: Conditional probability 27 38

4b: Hard conditional probability puzzle 30 39

For use in Lesson 5:

5a: Probability tree diagrams 31 40

Heads P(H, T, H ) = ___

P(Blue then Red) = ___