[ASK] Probability of Getting the Main Doorprize

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In summary, the conversation is about an event with 240 members and 30 doorprizes, one of which is the main prize. Mr. Aziz's family has 15 tickets and the probability of Mr. Aziz winning the main prize is 1/16. This was calculated by dividing the number of members in Mr. Aziz's family (15) by the total number of members (240). The book's answer of 1/8 is incorrect as it does not take into account the fact that there is only one main prize.
  • #1
Monoxdifly
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There's an event which is joined by 240 members. The Event Organizer prepares 30 doorprize with one of them being the main ones. If Mr. Aziz's family has 15 tickets, the probability that Mr. Aziz gets the main doorprize is ...
A. 1/16
B. 1/8
C. 1/4
D. 1/2

I thought the answer was 15/240 (the probability of Mr. Aziz's family getting the doorprize) times 1/30 (the main one among the doorprize) and it results in 1/480, but it's not in the options. Is the book wrong or am I the one who miscalculated?
 
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  • #2
Hi Mr. Fly!

I'm assuming those 30 doorprizes are divided randomly among the 240 members.
And that the 15 tickets in Mr. Aziz's family correspond to 15 members.
And that there is only 1 main doorprize.
Just checking, is it a typo that you write 'the main ones' as plural?
Otherwise it suggests that there is more than 1 main doorprize.

If there is only 1 main prize, and Mr. Aziz has 15 chances out of 240 on it, then the probability that Mr. Aziz gets the main doorprize is 15/240 = 1/16.

Note that if my interpretation is correct, we can expect that Mr. Aziz's family collects $\frac{15}{240 }\cdot 30$ door prizes as opposed to the 15/240 that you suggested.
Since only 1 of them is the main prize, we multiply indeed by 1/30, resulting in the $\frac{15}{240}\cdot 30\cdot \frac{1}{30}=\frac{15}{240}=\frac{1}{16}$ that I already mentioned.
 
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  • #3
I see no reason to even consider the "30 door prizes". The question is only about the one main prize. There are 240 people and 15 of them are in this family. The probability of someone in this family winning the one main prize is [tex]\frac{15}{240}= \frac{1}{16}[/tex].
 
  • #4
Thank you, both of you. And yes, Klaas, that was a typo.
It has been quite a long time since someone calls me Mr. Fly...
 

FAQ: [ASK] Probability of Getting the Main Doorprize

What is the probability of winning the main door prize?

The probability of winning the main door prize depends on the total number of entries and the number of prizes being given out. For example, if there are 100 entries and only 1 prize, the probability would be 1/100 or 1%. However, if there are 100 entries and 10 prizes, the probability would be 10/100 or 10%.

How is the probability of winning the main door prize calculated?

The probability of winning the main door prize is calculated by dividing the number of possible outcomes (winning the prize) by the total number of outcomes (total number of entries). This gives a decimal value, which can then be converted to a percentage.

Does purchasing more entries increase the probability of winning the main door prize?

Yes, purchasing more entries does increase the probability of winning the main door prize. This is because with more entries, you have a higher chance of being selected as the winner. However, it is important to note that the probability is still dependent on the total number of entries and the number of prizes being given out.

Are there any strategies for increasing the probability of winning the main door prize?

There is no guaranteed strategy for increasing the probability of winning the main door prize. However, some people may choose to purchase more entries or enter multiple times to increase their chances. Another strategy could be to enter a contest with fewer participants, as this would increase the chances of being selected as the winner.

Is the probability of winning the main door prize affected by luck or chance?

Yes, luck and chance play a role in the probability of winning the main door prize. While the probability can be calculated based on the number of entries and prizes, the actual outcome is ultimately determined by chance. This means that even with a low probability, it is still possible to win the main door prize.

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