A basket contains 8 pieces of fruit: 3 apples, 3 oranges, and 2 bananas. Jonas takes a piece of fruit at random from the basket, and then Beth takes a piece at random. What is the probability that Jonas will get an orange and Beth will get an apple?

Question

hero · Answer

Probability that Jonas picks an orange:

$$\frac{\text{number of oranges}}{\text{total pieces of fruit}}$$

anonymous · Answer

my answer choices are 
A 9/56
B 6/7
C 3/4
D 9/54

hero · Answer

Let's do this one step at a time. Jonas picks first...so what is the probability that Jonas will pick an orange?

anonymous · Answer

3/8 ?

hero · Answer

Yes, correct. If Jonas picks a piece of fruit, how many pieces of fruit are left in the basket?

anonymous · Answer

5/8?

hero · Answer

How many pieces of fruit are left in the basket if Jonas picks one?

anonymous · Answer

7

hero · Answer

Yes, good...so the total amount of fruit remaining is seven. 

So now, the probability that beth picks an apple is:

$$\frac{\text{total number of apples}}{\text{total amount of fruit remaining}}$$

hero · Answer

So what is the probability that beth picks an apple?

hero · Answer

@irania, you there?

hero · Answer

We're almost done..

anonymous · Answer

3/7

hero · Answer

Wow, I didn't think you were going to respond.

anonymous · Answer

sorry my computer ran out of battery

hero · Answer

So now we have two independent events:

The probability that Jonas will pick an orange and the probability that Beth will pick an apple. What are we supposed to do with two independent events to find the total probability that both events will happen?

anonymous · Answer

3/7*3/8?

hero · Answer

Yes, which answer choice is correct?

anonymous · Answer

b?

hero · Answer

Show me the steps you did to get b. Did you multiply first?

anonymous · Answer

don't we cross multiply?

hero · Answer

What do you mean by cross multiply?

hero · Answer

To Multiply fractions, you multiply the numerators, then multiply the denominators

anonymous · Answer

im sorry im not good at math 
   this is what i did  (3/7)*(3/8) and i got 0.1607

hero · Answer

3 x 3 = 9

7 x 8 = 56

anonymous · Answer

so the answer is A!
thank you so much :D

hero · Answer

You should practice multiplying fractions so that you are comfortable doing them. To be successful with doing probability, it is essential to master multiplying fractions first.

anonymous · Answer

i will thanks for the help