Hunter placed 2 red, 3 blue, 1 yellow, 8 black, and 7 white straws into a bag.

What is the probability that he will pull out a white straw when he reaches into the bag?

Question

Hunter placed 2 red, 3 blue, 1 yellow, 8 black, and 7 white straws into a bag.

What is the probability that he will pull out a white straw when he reaches into the bag?

hartnn · Answer

how many white straws are there and how many total straws are there ?

anonymous · Answer

7 white and 21 total

anonymous · Answer

do i divide that

hartnn · Answer

yup.

lstrasmann · Answer

so divide 21 by 7

anonymous · Answer

cause i got three

anonymous · Answer

so 1/3

hartnn · Answer

the probability will be no. of white straws / total
yes 1/3 :)

lstrasmann · Answer

oh yeah 7 divided by 21 not 21 divided by 7

anonymous · Answer

so if i am doing a similar problem to that and the total is 19 and i am dividing that by 4 to get 4.75 what does that become when i am needing to change it to a fraction?

anonymous · Answer

4/19? 
7/19?

lstrasmann · Answer

you divide the number of *whatever* by the total number, so 4 divided by 19 is 0.21 which simplifies to$$\frac{ 21 }{ 100 } $$

hartnn · Answer

yup, 4/19

anonymous · Answer

well that cant be right because the different answer choices i have are 
4/19
7/19
5/19
3/19

hartnn · Answer

4/19 is one of them.

anonymous · Answer

thanks hartnn

lstrasmann · Answer

oh yeah forgot that fractions are just division :) lol don't listen to me

anonymous · Answer

i meant that towards istrasmann

lstrasmann · Answer

its Lstrasmann

anonymous · Answer

;p lol

anonymous · Answer

Marty has a standard deck containing 52 cards.

If Marty takes one card from the deck, what is the probability that he will select a king of hearts?

anonymous · Answer

what is it as easy as 1/52

hartnn · Answer

yup. 1/52

hartnn · Answer

because there is only 1 king of heart.

anonymous · Answer

oh didnt know thats why i wasnt sure lol so back to the first type of questions i was asking i understand how to do the problem just not how to convert to fractions

anonymous · Answer

so if the total is 15 and i am dividing by 3 which equals 5 how do i make it a fraction

lstrasmann · Answer

you divide 3 by 15, like this:
$$\frac{ 3 }{ 15 }$$

hartnn · Answer

TOTAL is always in denominator!
for probability problems...
so it would be 3/15

hartnn · Answer

Probability = Favorable number of events / Total number of events.

anonymous · Answer

well thats what i have been assuming but the answers i can choose from are different
1/5
1/15
3
2/15
so would it be 3 in this case?

lstrasmann · Answer

3/15 simplifies to 1/5 so its 1/5

anonymous · Answer

so how did you figure that out just curious

anonymous · Answer

did you divide that problem by 3 to simplify it since 3 is 1 as 15 is to 5

lstrasmann · Answer

$$\frac{ 3 }{ 15} \div \frac{ 3 }{ 3 } = \frac{ 1 }{ 5 }$$

lstrasmann · Answer

since 3/3 is basically 1, so it would be like dividing 3 by 3 to get 1 and 15 by 3 to get 5

anonymous · Answer

so if i am doing another one with the total 20 and dividing it by 4 would i get 1/4?

lstrasmann · Answer

no 1/5

hartnn · Answer

4/20=1/5

anonymous · Answer

6/14
1/4
5/19
3/20
possible answers this is why im confused because every set of answers is different from what i think it should be like 1/5 ya know its weird and confusing ugh

lstrasmann · Answer

maybe you totaled them wrong.. try totaling them up again

hartnn · Answer

or maybe u counted 4 as wrong...

anonymous · Answer

3+4+2+5+6= 20 divided by 4 so i dont know what i did wrong

anonymous · Answer

oh god it was not 4 it was 5 divided by 5 pellet lol

hartnn · Answer

5/20 = 1/4

lstrasmann · Answer

ok then its 1/4

hartnn · Answer

Remember to always keep the total in the denominator.

anonymous · Answer

awesome thanks for now got to go eat lunch haha

lstrasmann · Answer

you're welcome :) have a great lunch