There are 25 balls in a jar. Twelve (12) balls are red, 10 balls are blue, and 3 balls are white. Which of the following describes the likelihood of randomly picking a white ball?(1 point)

Responses

less likely than not
less likely than not

very unlikely
very unlikely

impossible
impossible

likely

1 answer

To determine the likelihood of randomly picking a white ball from the jar, we can analyze the total number of balls and the number of white balls.

  • Total balls in the jar: 25
  • Number of white balls: 3

To find the likelihood of picking a white ball, we can calculate the probability:

Probability of picking a white ball = (Number of white balls) / (Total number of balls) = 3 / 25

This probability is 0.12, or 12%.

Now, let's evaluate the options:

  1. Less likely than not: This would imply a probability of less than 50%. Since 12% is less than 50%, this option is accurate.

  2. Very unlikely: This could also be applicable since 12% indicates a low chance of picking a white ball.

  3. Impossible: This is incorrect, as it is certainly possible to pick a white ball (with a 12% chance).

  4. Likely: This is incorrect, as a likelihood typically greater than 50% would be needed for it to be considered "likely."

Given this analysis, the most fitting response is "less likely than not."