Counting and Probability Problems with a Standard Deck of 52 Cards.

By LEONARDO D. VILLAMIL.

You should be familiar with basic rules and definitions of probability. We apply probability we do not
explain probability. You should also be familiar with basic counting techniques to be able to solve the
propose problems.

Standard Deck of 52 Cards.


Check the deck depicted above frequently as you work with the exercises proposed in this essay.

Characteristics of the standard deck.
There are a total of 52 cards in a deck
There are 13 ranks of cards. These ranks include the numbers 2 through 10, jack, queen, king and ace. This ordering of the
rank is called ace high. In some situations ace ranks above king, in others its below 2, and in some it is both.
There are four suits: hearts, diamonds, spades and clubs. The diamonds and hearts are printed in red. The spades and clubs are
printed in black.
Each rank has four cards in it (one for each of the four suits).
A face card is a jack, queen or king. Thus there are three face cards for each suit and a total of 12 face cards in the deck.



Clubs Spades



The easier problems.

Probability of selecting a club from the deck =
12
52
.
Probability of selecting a red card from the deck =
26
52

Probability of selecting a 6 from the deck?
4
52
p
How many hands of four card can we get from the deck.
52
4
C =
Probability of selecting four of a kind. (Four card with the same rank) =
52
4
13
C

What is the probability of selecting a pair of 4 of the same color?.

We can get one pair of 4-red and a pair of 4-blacks. So we have 2 favorable outcomes of pairs. Because
we are taking pairs then we have
52 2
C total number of pairs, therefore the probability of getting a pair
of 4-red or a 4-pair of blacks is
52 2
2
p
C
.
What is the probability of getting a face value card?
There are 12 face value card.
12
52
p .

So far, if we take one card from the deck, then the total sample space is the deck itself. But if we take
two cards then the sample space is compose of pairs and therefore we have to calculate the total
number of pair out of the deck. i.e,
52 2
C . Reasoning in the same sense if we take three card with certain
condition then we have a sample space of
52 3
C and if we take r cards with certain condition then we
have a sample space compose of
52 r
C elements or outcomes.

Let stretch our reasoning thinking of a question like this:
How many different four of a kind poker hands are possibles?
Four a kind mean four of the same rank. The following is an example of four of a kind.
four aces + a 2 rank card = a five card poker hand.

A poker hand consist of five cards, how many hands of five cards have four of a kind? Note that a hand
only can have four of a kind, there is not such thing as five of a kind. Look at the standard deck of 52
card to realize this. You cannot get five of a kind or five cards with the same face value.

Looking at the standard deck we realize that there are 48 hands with the four of a kind aces. Like the
one shown above with the 2 clubs. (48 remaining cards + 4 aces = 52 ). With this in mind we conclude
that there are 48 hands for every four of a kind. We have a total of 13 four of a kind set and every one
will have 48 hands so we have in total 48 * 13 = 624 possibles hands of four of a kind.
Using the multiplication principle will be like this. Select a set of four of a kind. You have 13 ways to do
this. Now the poker hand consist of five cards, you have selected four to select the fifth card you have
48 ways to do it. In conclusion to select five cards with the conditions specified here in you have
13 (ways of selecting four of a kind) * 48 (ways of selecting the fifth card) = 624.

How many different ways we can select two cards from the standard deck of 52 card?
There are 52 ways of selecting the first card, then, there are 51 ways of selecting the second card. So we
have 52 * 51 ways of selecting two cards from the standard deck.

Two cards are drawn one after the other from the standard deck of 52 cards. In how many ways can
we draw first a diamond and then a heart?

Looking at the standard deck we have 13 ways of selecting a diamond and 13 ways of selecting a heart,
so in total there are 13 * 13 ways of selecting the cards as specified.

First a spade and then a heart or a diamond?
To select a spade we have 13 ways. To select a heart or a diamond we have 26 ways, therefore there are
13*26 ways of selecting the cards as specified.

First a spade and then another spade?
13*12.

Repeat the preceding problem, replacing the card before a new draw.
The first and second problem do not change if we replace the cards before the second draw.
The third one will then 13*13.

A card is drawn at random from a standard deck of cards. Let E the Event card selected is an ace and
F the event card selected is a spade are E and F mutually exclusive?
We can have a card which is ace-spade. (Look at the standard deck) So the set of outcomes for event E
could have an ace-spade and the set F could have a spade which is an ace, therefore they are not
mutually exclusive.

The probability that E occurs is
4
52
p and the probability that F occurs is
13
52
p then the probability
that at least one of the events occurs is
13 4 17
52 52 52
p .

Definition. Let E be any event. We say that the odds for E are a to b if and only if ( )
a
P E
a b

.
In reference with the later problem the odds of event E F , the P( E F )=17/52, then the odd are
17 to 35. (Note that a+b=52 and a=17).
A card is draw at random. This card is replaced, and then another card is selected at random from the
full deck.
Define a suitable sample space for this experiment and assign probabilities to its simple events.
The sample space will be the full deck. The simple events are to withdraw a card from the deck. The
probability of its simple events is 1/52. The second event is to draw one card again with a p=1/52. Every
simple event has a probability of 1/52
The probability that at least one of the cards selected is the ace of space?
For the first draw is 1/52. The card is replace and then another card is drawn, the probability of a ace of
spade is 1/52. Probability first event 1/52. Probability second event 1/52. Probability of the 2 events is
1/52 * 1/52 = 1/2704 (The two events are independent)

What are the odds for the event that neither card is the ace of spades?
The odd in favor are 1 to 2703, the odds against an ace of spade is 2703 to 1.

Repeat the last three questions but this time the card is not replaced.
In the first case the sample space is the full deck and the probability of its simple events is 1/52. When
the second withdraw is due the sample space consist of 51 cards and the probability of its simple events
is 1/51.

First event A.
P(ace-spade) = 1/52.
Second Event B.
P(ace-spade) = 1/51 ( ace at second withdraw given a ace on the 1 st)

P(A and B) = P(A) * P(B given that A has occurred).
= 1/52 * 1/51 = 1/2652

When four cards are drawn from an ordinary deck of 52 playing cards, show that the probability of
getting one card of each suit is
2,197
20,825
.
The easier part is to get the total number of outcomes which is
52,4
270, 725 C
We have four positions to cover. The first one with the first suit you have 13 ways. For the second you
have 13 ways, Third 13 ways and for the last one 13 ways. According with the multiplication principle
you have
4
13 13 13 13 13 x x x ways of ordering the four card of each suit. The probability is
52,4
4
13
C
p
which is equal to
2,197
20,825
.



Find the probability of being dealt a three of a kind in a six card hand.
Total of outcomes will be
52,6
C





Find the probability of being dealt a three of a kind and a pair (but not three of a
kind) six card hand.
Find the probability of being dealt exactly two pairs (but not as part of three of a
kind or four of a kinds) in a six card hand.