There are 5 lemon sweets and 4 orange sweets in a bag, susan takes one out randomly and eats it then ann takes one out at random. calculate the probability that they both take out a sweet of the same flavour.

Is there 3 possible outcomes. I am really stuck trying to work this out, can someone give advice please how to calculate.

5 answers

susan takes lemon then ann takes lemon:

5/9 * 4/8 = 20/72 = 5/13

susan takes orange then ann takes orange:
4/9 * 3/8 = 1/6

add them
Only one possible outcome.

If the events are independent, the probability of both/all events occurring is determined by multiplying the probabilities of the individual events.

P (Both lemon) = 5/9 * (5-1)/(9-1) = ?

P (both orange) = 4/9 * 3/8 = ?

Either-or probabilities are found by adding the individual probabilities.

P(both lemon) + P(both orange) = ?
5/9 * 4/8 = 20/72 = 5/18
Thanks to both Damon and PsyDAG for helping me get round this problem. I think I was making it too complicated.
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