The counting principle, and are these events independent?
Grade 9 Math Worksheet - Building Confidence

Circle the best answer, or write your answer on the line.
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Tree diagram. First branches: fruit and crackers. Fruit: 4 kinds, and each kind splits into 2 dips. Crackers: 3 kinds, and each kind splits into 3 spreads.
Luz's snack tree starts with fruit or crackers. How many different snacks does the tree show?
Zee's lock has n dials, and each dial shows a digit from 0 to 9. Which expression gives the number of different codes?
- 10^n
- 10n
- n^10
- 10 + n
A class gives first, second and third place to 3 of n posters. A poster can win only once. Ari wants the number of ways. Which expression counts them?
- n³
- n + (n − 1) + (n − 2)
- 3n
- n(n − 1)(n − 2)
Bo's lunch is one of s sandwiches or one of 3 salads, plus one of 4 drinks. Which expression counts the different lunches?
- s + 3 + 4
- 4 × s × 3
- 4(s + 3)
- 4s + 3
Each of n students picks one of 5 clubs, and many students can pick the same club. Esme wants the number of ways. Which expression fits?
- n^5
- 5n
- 5 + n
- 5^n
Kira picks a first book and a different second book to read from n books on a shelf. Which expression counts the ways to pick?
- n²
- n(n − 1)/2
- n(n − 1)
- 2n
In Luz's class, 40% bike to school, 30% have a dog, and 12% do both. A is “bikes” and B is “has a dog”. Are A and B independent?
- Not independent: 12% is smaller than both 40% and 30%
- Not independent: 0.4 + 0.3 = 0.7, not 0.12
- Not independent: dog walkers get exercise, so biking changes
- Independent: 0.4 × 0.3 = 0.12, which is P(A and B)
On 60% of days in Noah's town it is sunny, on 50% it is warm, and on 40% it is both. A is “sunny” and B is “warm”. Are A and B independent?
- Independent: 0.4 is close enough to 0.3
- Independent: 0.6 and 0.5 are close to each other
- Independent: sunny and warm are different things, so one cannot change the other
- Not independent: 0.6 × 0.5 = 0.3, but P(A and B) = 0.4
On Milo's spinner (equal parts), A is “red” and B is “even”. The chance of not red is 0.7, P(B) = 0.5 and P(A and B) = 0.15. Are A and B independent?
- Independent: 0.3 × 0.5 = 0.15, which is P(A and B)
- Not independent: 0.7 × 0.5 = 0.35, not 0.15
- Not independent: both events come from the same spin of the spinner
- Not independent: 0.3 + 0.5 is not 0.15
On Kira's route, A is “bus late” and B is “rain”. The chance of on time is 0.6, P(B) = 0.5 and P(A and B) = 0.25. Are A and B independent?
- Independent: 0.4 and 0.5 are close to each other
- Not independent: 0.4 × 0.5 = 0.2, but P(A and B) = 0.25
- Independent: rain and a late bus look unrelated to each other, so they pass
- Independent: 0.6 × 0.5 = 0.3 is close to 0.25

