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Original poster

Maths level 5

42 replies

missk167 · 21/10/2021 13:00

Hey everyone am doing my level 5 in maths for my level 5 in social care

I'm at the stage where am going bang my head against a brick wall ahhhh.

I'm stuck on probability I've done research and can only find questions on coins or dice. Can anyone help me work this out please.

Out of 507 people, 248 people work in retail and 172 people are self employed. What is the probability that a person either works retail or is self employed?

I'm tried looking at seminars, practice exam papers and I'm struggling with working this out ahh.

Thank you

OP posts:
yodaforpresident · 21/10/2021 13:05

Are there any people in both categories?

If not then you just add both category numbers and divide by 507. This should give you a decimal which is your probability or you can multiply it by 100 to get a percentage.

Original poster
missk167 · 21/10/2021 13:06

That's just the question it asks me, I think it's badly written.
Thank you

OP posts:
InTheLabyrinth · 21/10/2021 13:07

Assuming no overlap, you are interested in A or B, so you add the probability of either event.
So, P(retail) + P (se) = 248/507 + 172/507

Original poster
missk167 · 21/10/2021 13:10

Im unsure what to put in the answer box.

OP posts:
TeenMinusTests · 21/10/2021 13:14

OP. You really can't just keep coming on to MN with every maths problem you get.

To give you starters.
Both previous posters are incorrect, you can't assume no overlap.

Find out probability of neither retail nor self employed.

Then probability of one or the other or both is the previous number subtracted from 1.

You need to go back to your maths teacher. You are clearly struggling, you need extra help, not just answers from MN

If you need to be able to do maths for your qualification, you need to be able to do it.

Original poster
missk167 · 21/10/2021 13:22

There's always someone like you.
This is not even a practice exam I am allowed to research online and get help with my questions.
I have no tutor so this is what we are allowed to do.
Maybe go and chill out and mind your own business.

OP posts:
PeppermintMocha · 21/10/2021 13:23

It's not possible to solve without the assumption that there is no overlap, unless there is further information somewhere, so it is poorly worded. You can't find out the probability of someone working in neither area without assuming no overlap.

Keep remembering that you are looking for the total number that fits whatever criteria it is, divided by the total number of possibilities.

You could look up basic GCSE probability to find many more questions; in fact, if you look up Venn diagram questions, some of those will deal with this sort of question/probability (and hopefully, the questions will be better worded).

Original poster
missk167 · 21/10/2021 13:24

@PeppermintMocha

It's not possible to solve without the assumption that there is no overlap, unless there is further information somewhere, so it is poorly worded. You can't find out the probability of someone working in neither area without assuming no overlap.

Keep remembering that you are looking for the total number that fits whatever criteria it is, divided by the total number of possibilities.

You could look up basic GCSE probability to find many more questions; in fact, if you look up Venn diagram questions, some of those will deal with this sort of question/probability (and hopefully, the questions will be better worded).

Thank you so much I will do this
OP posts:
PeppermintMocha · 21/10/2021 13:24

The answer will be a fraction, which you can then convert to a decimal or a percentage if you want. If it's a fraction, you should probably simplify it if possible.

TeenMinusTests · 21/10/2021 13:26

I'm really sorry, but you have done a number of threads on this kind of thing. It isn't a point of someone pointing the way and then you say 'oh yes'.
You need to look on youtube for explanations of probability, or find someone to give you 1-1 help.
It just isn't possible for people here to give you the level of help you need.
Try searching corbettmaths probability where they explain things slowly and clearly.
Start at the 'beginning' of probability and go through making sure you understand each new step.

PeppermintMocha · 21/10/2021 13:27

Just a quick google of "GCSE foundation probability" and GCSE foundation Venn diagram questions" brings up lots of useful looking sites.

Original poster
missk167 · 21/10/2021 13:34

@TeenMinusTests

I'm really sorry, but you have done a number of threads on this kind of thing. It isn't a point of someone pointing the way and then you say 'oh yes'. You need to look on youtube for explanations of probability, or find someone to give you 1-1 help. It just isn't possible for people here to give you the level of help you need. Try searching corbettmaths probability where they explain things slowly and clearly. Start at the 'beginning' of probability and go through making sure you understand each new step.
It's your responses. They are not helpful. I am doing a level 5 in social care unfortunately I went to school fifteen years ago so my knowledge of maths is not great. I leave comments on here as it's a person led course I don't get support so maybe if you originally left me ideas of ways that could help.. that would of been great. If you notice most people give help by explaining how to work out sums which helps people massively. I just don't understand why you would comment negatively it just seems pointless and I don't understand what you benefit from this.
OP posts:
titchy · 21/10/2021 13:41

Probably because you keep posting.... people have given you resources to look at. Look at them. You also admitted in a couple of previous posts that this was your exam or coursework.

LIZS · 21/10/2021 13:44

Is this not gcse maths rather than level 5?

Original poster
missk167 · 21/10/2021 13:46

@titchy

Probably because you keep posting.... people have given you resources to look at. Look at them. You also admitted in a couple of previous posts that this was your exam or coursework.
No I never once said it was an exam paper. You would never be allowed to ask questions in an exam they are monitored
OP posts:
Original poster
missk167 · 21/10/2021 13:46

@LIZS

Is this not gcse maths rather than level 5?
Yes so I need to do a GCSE maths before doing the level 5. It's just a requirement as I haven't done it for so long they ask you to do it again.
OP posts:
LIZS · 21/10/2021 13:48

Try bbc bitesize

bubblegumunicorn · 21/10/2021 13:56

So this is 248 + 172 = 420 so the ratio would be 507:420 or a simplified version! (May have put that the wrong way but that's the gist) they just want to know the ratio of people who work in those groups!

bubblegumunicorn · 21/10/2021 13:59

Also Khan academy is a fantastic maths resource I use it for my degree level stats 🤭

merryhouse · 21/10/2021 14:00

Out of 507 people, 248 work in retail. So what is the probability that a person works in retail? Do you know the answer to that?

Out of 507 people, 172 are self-employed. Do you know the probability that a person is self-employed?

If you don't know how to answer those questions, then you need to go back and read all the stuff about coins and dice.

bubblegumunicorn · 21/10/2021 14:09

This is probably the best one to watch I find it so useful when the course material is sending me to sleep! worth a shot to see if it helps you understand!
www.khanacademy.org/math/precalculus/x9e81a4f98389efdf:prob-comb/x9e81a4f98389efdf:addition-rule-prob-precalc/v/probability-with-playing-cards-and-venn-diagrams

TeenMinusTests · 21/10/2021 14:58

If you need to do GCSE maths you should be able to sign up to a free course at college if you haven't already got it. You don't need to do it all on your own.

Probability adds to 1.

The probability of something NOT happening is 1 - probability of it happening.
ie p(not A) = 1 - p(A)

probability of A and B is p(A) x p(B)

If you can understand the dice and coins questions you should be able to understand the question you have been asked.

You are doing Level 2 (GCSE) maths (not level 5).

I really am trying to help you. I just happen to think you need a lot more help than MN can give you. We can help on specific questions, but we can't teach you GCSE maths.

TeenMinusTests · 21/10/2021 15:01

@bubblegumunicorn

So this is 248 + 172 = 420 so the ratio would be 507:420 or a simplified version! (May have put that the wrong way but that's the gist) they just want to know the ratio of people who work in those groups!
This is not correct. a) ratio is not probability (though they are related) b) you don't get the answer by just adding

The OP needs to do 1 - probability of neither

PeppermintMocha · 21/10/2021 15:13

Not in this case - you don't HAVE to do 1 - probability of neither.

Adding is fine, based on the assumption that there is no overlap. And you do have to assume that here, because otherwise it is unsolvable.

In other cases, yes, finding the probably of it being neither and subtracting from the total would be the best way of doing a problem.

Here, it makes no difference. By subtracting to find out who doesn't work in retail, and then subtracting the other number separately to find out who is not self-employed, you are again assuming that there is no overlap. So you will get the same answer by subtracting that probability of neither of them from the total.

The only way that you could NOT assume no overlap is if they gave you further information about the group, like how many didn't work, or what number worked in both of those two professions, or something like that.

TeenMinusTests · 21/10/2021 15:13

The incorrect methods and answers on this thread also show exactly why MN is not the place to go to for help on this kind of thing when you are struggling with the fundamentals.
How on earth are you going to know who is telling you rubbish and who is giving you correct methods?