A bag has 2 blue marbles, 3 red marbles, and 5 white marbles. Which events have a probability greater than One-fifth? Select three options.

choosing 1 blue marble
choosing 1 red marble
choosing 1 red marble, not replacing it, and then choosing a blue marble
choosing 1 white marble, replacing it, and choosing another white marble
choosing 1 white marble

1 answer

To determine which events have a probability greater than one-fifth (or 0.2), we need to calculate the probability for each of the events listed.

  1. Choosing 1 blue marble:

    • Total marbles = 2 (blue) + 3 (red) + 5 (white) = 10.
    • Probability = Number of blue marbles / Total marbles = 2/10 = 1/5 = 0.2.
    • This probability is not greater than one-fifth.
  2. Choosing 1 red marble:

    • Probability = Number of red marbles / Total marbles = 3/10 = 0.3.
    • This probability is greater than one-fifth.
  3. Choosing 1 red marble, not replacing it, and then choosing a blue marble:

    • Probability of first choosing a red marble = 3/10.
    • After choosing a red marble, there are now 9 marbles left (2 blue, 2 red, 5 white).
    • Probability of then choosing a blue marble = 2/9.
    • Total probability = (3/10) * (2/9) = 6/90 = 1/15 = 0.0667.
    • This probability is not greater than one-fifth.
  4. Choosing 1 white marble, replacing it, and choosing another white marble:

    • Probability of choosing the first white marble = 5/10 = 1/2.
    • Since the marble is replaced, the probability of choosing a second white marble is also 1/2.
    • Total probability = (1/2) * (1/2) = 1/4 = 0.25.
    • This probability is greater than one-fifth.
  5. Choosing 1 white marble:

    • Probability = Number of white marbles / Total marbles = 5/10 = 1/2 = 0.5.
    • This probability is greater than one-fifth.

Based on this analysis, the events that have a probability greater than one-fifth are:

  • Choosing 1 red marble.
  • Choosing 1 white marble, replacing it, and choosing another white marble.
  • Choosing 1 white marble.

Thus, the three options that have a probability greater than one-fifth are:

  1. Choosing 1 red marble
  2. Choosing 1 white marble, replacing it, and choosing another white marble
  3. Choosing 1 white marble