Probability Question - Need help

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In summary, the probability of selecting a chocolate cupcake from the remaining cupcake in the same box after already selecting a chocolate cupcake from one of the three boxes is 2/3. This is calculated by taking the probability of the box being the chocolate box, which is 1/3, and dividing it by the overall probability of selecting a chocolate cupcake, which is 3/6.
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firstwave
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Probability Question - Need help please!

There are three boxes with 2 cupcakes in each one of them:

First box: 2 chocolate cupcakes
Second box: 1 chocolate, 1 vanilla
Third box: 2 vanilla cupcakes

A person randomly opens up a box and selects one cupcake. It is a chocolate cupcake. She then pulls out the remaining cupcake in the same box. What is the probability that it is a chocolate cupcake?

Ok here is what I think...
Since the question is only asking for the probability that the second cupcake in the box is chocolate, we don't have to worry about the first step of picking the right box. Therefore, the probability should be 1/2 because you can either pick a vanilla or a chocolate, but it doesn't really sound convincing...
 
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  • #2
firstwave said:
There are three boxes with 2 cupcakes in each one of them:

First box: 2 chocolate cupcakes
Second box: 1 chocolate, 1 vanilla
Third box: 2 vanilla cupcakes

A person randomly opens up a box and selects one cupcake. It is a chocolate cupcake. She then pulls out the remaining cupcake in the same box. What is the probability that it is a chocolate cupcake?
It's a conditional prob. question, "what is the prob. of the box being the choc. box given a choc cake has been picked?"

P(Choc box|a choc cake has been picked) = P(Choc box and a choc cake has been picked)/P(a choc cake has been picked) = P(Choc box)/(3/6) = (1/3) / (1/2) = 2/3.

See this example.
 
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  • #3


Your thinking is correct! The probability of selecting a chocolate cupcake from the second box is indeed 1/2. This is because there are only two cupcakes left in the box, and one of them is chocolate. So the chance of selecting a chocolate cupcake is 1 out of 2, or 1/2. This is also known as a 50% chance.
 

FAQ: Probability Question - Need help

What is probability?

Probability is a measure of the likelihood or chance of an event occuring. It is usually expressed as a number between 0 (impossible) and 1 (certain), where 0 indicates that the event will not occur and 1 indicates the event will definitely occur.

How do you calculate probability?

Probability can be calculated by dividing the number of favorable outcomes by the total number of possible outcomes. This is known as the classical definition of probability. For example, if you roll a dice, the probability of getting a 3 would be 1/6, since there are 6 possible outcomes and only 1 is favorable (getting a 3).

What is the difference between theoretical and experimental probability?

Theoretical probability is based on mathematical calculations and assumes that all outcomes are equally likely. Experimental probability, on the other hand, is based on actual experiments or observations and may vary from the theoretical probability due to chance or other factors.

How is probability used in real life?

Probability is used in various fields, such as statistics, economics, and science, to make predictions and informed decisions. It is also used in everyday life, for example, when predicting the weather, playing games of chance, or making financial investments.

Can probability be greater than 1?

No, probability cannot be greater than 1. A probability of 1 means that the event is certain to occur, while a probability greater than 1 would imply that the event is more than certain to occur, which is not possible.

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