A box contains 5 blue balls, 3 black balls and 2 red balls of the

MATHEMATICS
WAEC 1995

A box contains 5 blue balls, 3 black balls and 2 red balls of the same size. A ball is selected at random from the box and then replaced. A second ball is then selected. Find the probability of obtaining

(a) two red balls ;

(b) two blue balls or two black balls ;

(c) one black and one red ball in any order.

Explanation

Number of blue balls = 5

Number of black balls = 3

Number of red balls = 2

= 10 balls.

(a) P(two red balls) = \(\frac{2}{10} \times \frac{2}{10} = \frac{1}{25}\)

(b) P(2 blue or 2 black balls) = P(2 blue) or P(2 black)

= \((\frac{5}{10} \times \frac{5}{10}) + (\frac{3}{10} \times \frac{3}{10})\)

= \(\frac{25}{100} + \frac{9}{100}\)

= \(\frac{34}{100} = \frac{17}{50}\)

(c) P( one red and one black in any order) = P(one red, one black) or P(one black, one red)

= \((\frac{2}{10} \times \frac{3}{10}) + (\frac{3}{10} \times \frac{2}{10})\)

= \(\frac{12}{100} = \frac{3}{25}\)



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