Mary Katherine has a bag of 3 red apples, 5 yellow apples and 4 green apples. Mary takes a red apple out of the bag and does not replace it. What is the probability that the next apple she takes out is yellow?
A)
5
44
B)
4
11
C)
5
12
D)
5
11
@Kash_TheSmartGuy

Question

Mary Katherine has a bag of 3 red apples, 5 yellow apples and 4 green apples. Mary takes a red apple out of the bag and does not replace it. What is the probability that the next apple she takes out is yellow?
A)
5
44
B)
4
11
C)
5
12
D)
5
11
@Kash_TheSmartGuy

kash_thesmartguy · Answer

A.

vocaloid · Answer

@rissyroo118:

actually, the previous answer is incorrect (no offense intended!)

ok, so there were originally 5 yellow apples and 12 total apples (3+5+4) = 12, correct?

one red apple was taken away, so that leaves us with 5 yellow apples and 11 total apples

probability of getting a yellow apple = #of yellow apples/# of total apples

rissyroo118 · Answer

so C 5/12?

vocaloid · Answer

nope, please try again:

there were 12 apples at the beginning. Mary took away 1 apple, so how many apples were left?

kash_thesmartguy · Answer

wait so we divide the fractions or do we multiply them? I think we multiply them.

vocaloid · Answer

@Kash_TheSmartGuy : nope, no multiplication here. the question is NOT asking "what is the probability of getting a yellow apple on both tries", it's only asking for the probability of picking a yellow apple after the first red apple is taken away

vocaloid · Answer

@rissyroo118 : anyway, would you mind answering my question? how many apples are left after Mary takes away one red apple?

rissyroo118 · Answer

would make 11 apples left if mary took one

vocaloid · Answer

right!, so how many yellow apples are there, and how many total apples are there?

rissyroo118 · Answer

5 yellow all together 11 apples so 5 / 11 = D

vocaloid · Answer

Great! Excellent work. :)