Tim’s goal is to run one marathon in each of the 50 states. To determine the order in which he will run the marathons, he will write the name of each state on a slip of paper and place the slips of paper in a bowl. He will then draw the names of the states one at a time from the bowl until all the slips of paper have been drawn. If there are 26 states east of the Mississippi River and 24 states west of the Mississippi River, what is the probability that the third state drawn will be east of the Mississippi, GIVEN THAT the first one drawn was east of the Mississippi and the second one drawn wa

Question

Tim’s goal is to run one marathon in each of the 50 states. To determine the order in which he will run the marathons, he will write the name of each state on a slip of paper and place the slips of paper in a bowl. He will then draw the names of the states one at a time from the bowl until all the slips of paper have been drawn.  If there are 26 states east of the Mississippi River and 24 states west of the Mississippi River, what is the probability that the third state drawn will be east of the Mississippi, GIVEN THAT the first one drawn was east of the Mississippi and the second one drawn wa

solomonzelman · Answer

OKAY

East      West
26-1     24-1       (b/c during 1st and 2nd times drawn were 1 east and the other west)
 =25         =23

the P of east,

So we have 48 states left,
and 25 of them are on the east, so the Probability of getting an eastern state is 
25/58


Makes sense ?

solomonzelman · Answer

(when I say eastern/east, I mean eastern/east from Mississippi )