Chapter 8: Problem 4
Draw balls from a hat. Suppose there are 40 balls in a hat, of which 10 are red, 10 are blue, 10 are yellow, and 10 are purple. What is the prohahility of getting two blue and two purple balls when drawing 10 balls at random from the hat? Name of program file: 4 balls_from10.py.
Short Answer
Expert verified
The probability of drawing 2 blue and 2 purple balls is approximately 0.1421.
Step by step solution
01
Understanding the Problem
We have a total of 40 balls divided equally among four colors: red, blue, yellow, and purple, with 10 balls each. We need to find the probability of drawing exactly two blue balls and two purple balls when randomly drawing 10 balls from the hat.
02
Use of Combinatorics
The problem involves selecting specific colored balls from a total set of balls, which can be solved using combinations. A combination describes ways to choose items from a group without regard to the order of selection.
03
Calculate Total Ways to Choose 10 Balls
We calculate the total number of ways to choose 10 balls out of the 40 available using the combination formula \( \binom{n}{k} \), where \( n \) is the total number of items to choose from, and \( k \) is the number of items to choose. Here, \( n = 40 \) and \( k = 10 \).\[ \text{Total Ways} = \binom{40}{10} \]
04
Calculate Ways to Choose 2 Blue and 2 Purple Balls
We need to choose 2 blue balls from the available 10 blue balls and 2 purple balls from the available 10 purple balls. The number of ways to choose 2 blue balls is \( \binom{10}{2} \), and the number of ways to choose 2 purple balls is \( \binom{10}{2} \).\[ \text{Ways to choose 2 blue balls} = \binom{10}{2} \]\[ \text{Ways to choose 2 purple balls} = \binom{10}{2} \]
05
Complete the Set with Other Balls
After choosing 4 balls (2 blue and 2 purple), we need to choose 6 more balls from the remaining 30 balls (10 red, 8 blue, 8 yellow, 8 purple). The number of ways to choose these 6 balls is \( \binom{30}{6} \).\[ \text{Ways to choose remaining 6 balls} = \binom{30}{6} \]
06
Calculate Specific Outcome Combination Ways
Calculate the total number of specific ways of choosing 2 blue and 2 purple (which is the product of combinations calculated earlier) plus 6 other balls.\[ \text{Specific Ways} = \binom{10}{2} \times \binom{10}{2} \times \binom{30}{6} \]
07
Calculate Probability of Desired Outcome
Finally, calculate the probability of the favorable outcome by dividing the specific outcome combination ways by the total ways to choose 10 balls.\[ P(2\, \text{blue}\, \text{and}\, 2\, \text{purple}) = \frac{\text{Specific Ways}}{\text{Total Ways}} \]
08
Computation
Compute the values:\[ \binom{40}{10} = 847660528\binom{10}{2} = 45\binom{30}{6} = 593775\]Thus the Specific Ways are:\( 45 \times 45 \times 593775 = 120545625\).Therefore,\[ P(2\, \text{blue}\, \text{and}\, 2\, \text{purple}) = \frac{120545625}{847660528} \approx 0.1421 \]
Unlock Step-by-Step Solutions & Ace Your Exams!
-
Full Textbook Solutions
Get detailed explanations and key concepts
-
Unlimited Al creation
Al flashcards, explanations, exams and more...
-
Ads-free access
To over 500 millions flashcards
-
Money-back guarantee
We refund you if you fail your exam.
Over 30 million students worldwide already upgrade their learning with Vaia!
Key Concepts
These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.
Probability
Probability is the branch of mathematics that deals with calculating the likelihood of a given event to occur. In simpler terms, it measures how certain we can be of the occurrence of certain events. Probability ranges between 0 and 1. A probability of 0 indicates an impossible event, while a probability of 1 indicates a certain event. For example, the probability of drawing two blue and two purple balls from a hat containing 40 balls is calculated by determining how many ways that specific combination can happen compared to all possible outcomes.
In the given exercise, we are interested in the probability of drawing an exact configuration of balls (two blue and two purple) from a total of 10 drawn balls. This is done by dividing the number of successful outcomes by the total number of possible outcomes, which requires understanding combinations—a key concept in calculating probabilities for such scenarios.
Mathematics Education
Mathematics education involves teaching and learning mathematics comprehensively. It aims to develop problem-solving skills and a deep understanding of mathematical concepts, including combinatorics and probability.
To master combinatorics, such as in our ball-drawing problem, students need to grasp the concept of combinations, which are ways of selecting items from a larger pool where order doesn't matter. Mathematics education focuses on providing learners with the tools to systematically apply these principles to solve complex problems, enhancing critical thinking and analytical skills.
Effective mathematics education also emphasizes the use of exploration and practice, encouraging students to work through different types of problems, like finding specific probabilities. This approach fosters a more intuitive understanding of how mathematics can be applied to real-world situations.
Problem Solving
Problem solving is a crucial aspect of mathematics that involves identifying solutions to various problems using logical and analytical methodologies. In the context of the given exercise, problem solving starts with a clear understanding of the problem, which involves recognizing the need to calculate probability through combinatorial methods.
To solve this particular problem, we break down the task into smaller steps:
- Identify the type of problem: a combinatorial probability problem.
- Use combinations to determine the number of successful configurations, such as having specific colors in the drawn balls.
- Understand how to calculate total possibilities, necessary for determining the probability of the desired outcome.
Combinations
Combinations are a fundamental concept in combinatorics used to calculate how many ways a specific subset can be chosen from a larger set, where the order in which items are chosen does not matter. This concept is key when solving probability problems that involve drawing items without replacement, as seen in our exercise with the colored balls.Combinations are represented by the binomial coefficient \( \binom{n}{k} \), which is calculated using the formula:\[\binom{n}{k} = \frac{n!}{k!(n-k)!}\]where \(!\) denotes factorial, the product of all positive integers up to that number.In our example, using combinations is essential for determining both the total ways to select any 10 balls from 40 and the specific ways to select 2 blue, 2 purple, and then the remaining 6 balls. By understanding how combinations work, students can effectively determine outcomes in probability problems and gain a strong foundation in combinatorial mathematics.