In a bag of fruit, there are three apples, five oranges, and four bananas. One person takes a fruit to eat, then another person takes a fruit and eats that as well. What is the probability that the first person chooses a round fruit and the second chooses a banana?

8/33
1/3
2/9
3/4

1 answer

To find the probability that the first person chooses a round fruit (either an apple or an orange), and the second person chooses a banana, we can follow these steps:

Step 1: Count the Fruits

  • Apples: 3
  • Oranges: 5
  • Bananas: 4
  • Total fruits: \(3 + 5 + 4 = 12\)

Step 2: Identify Round Fruits

The round fruits in the bag are apples and oranges:

  • Total round fruits: \(3 + 5 = 8\)

Step 3: Calculate the Probability of the First Choice

The probability that the first person chooses a round fruit is: \[ P(\text{First chooses round fruit}) = \frac{\text{Number of round fruits}}{\text{Total fruits}} = \frac{8}{12} = \frac{2}{3} \]

Step 4: Calculate the Probability of the Second Choice

After the first person has chosen a fruit, we need to determine the remaining fruits to calculate the probability for the second choice. There are two cases: the first person chooses a round fruit or a banana.

  1. If the first person chooses a round fruit (8/12):
    • Remaining fruits: 11 (12 - 1)
    • Remaining bananas: 4
    • Probability the second person chooses a banana: \[ P(\text{Second chooses banana | First chose round}) = \frac{4}{11} \]

Step 5: Combined Probability for First Case

To find the combined probability for this scenario (first person chooses a round fruit and the second chooses a banana): \[ P(\text{First round, Second banana}) = P(\text{First round}) \times P(\text{Second banana | First round}) = \frac{2}{3} \times \frac{4}{11} = \frac{8}{33} \]

Thus, the probability that the first person chooses a round fruit and the second chooses a banana is: \[ \boxed{\frac{8}{33}} \]