There are three choices of fruit are bananas, pears, and oranges. If the probability of getting a banana is 5/12 and the probability of getting a pear is 1/6, what is the probability of getting an orange?

Question

Responses

5/12

1/2

1/

1/12

Answer 1

from the three choices (bananas, pears, oranges), the probabilities must add up to 1.

Let x be the probability of getting an orange.

5/12 (probability of getting a banana) + 1/6 (probability of getting a pear) + x (probability of getting an orange) = 1

5/12 + 1/6 + x = 1

Multiplying everything by 12 to clear the denominators:

5 + 2 + 12x = 12

7 + 12x = 12

12x = 5

x = 5/12

Therefore, the probability of getting an orange is 5/12.