A group of pictures of butterflies contains 10 pictures

This topic has expert replies
Senior | Next Rank: 100 Posts
Posts: 37
Joined: Wed Sep 11, 2013 4:33 am
A group of pictures of butterflies contains 10 pictures. Jim had bought 3 of them. If 2 pictures are to be picked out from the 10 pictures, what is the probability that both pictures are not those that were already bought by Jim?

14/15
3/5
6/13
7/15
7/10

[spoiler]OA D
I did: Total number of ways to pick 2: 10C2 = 45
Total number of ways to pick the 2 of Jim's 3: 3C2 = 3
Therefore probability of picking the others = 1 - 3/45 = 42/45 = 14/15. Where did I go wrong?[/spoiler]

User avatar
Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
Posts: 283
Joined: Sun Jun 23, 2013 11:56 pm
Location: Bangalore, India
Thanked: 97 times
Followed by:26 members
GMAT Score:750

by ganeshrkamath » Wed Nov 20, 2013 6:23 am
vishalpathak wrote:A group of pictures of butterflies contains 10 pictures. Jim had bought 3 of them. If 2 pictures are to be picked out from the 10 pictures, what is the probability that both pictures are not those that were already bought by Jim?

14/15
3/5
6/13
7/15
7/10

[spoiler]OA D
I did: Total number of ways to pick 2: 10C2 = 45
Total number of ways to pick the 2 of Jim's 3: 3C2 = 3
Therefore probability of picking the others = 1 - 3/45 = 42/45 = 14/15. Where did I go wrong?[/spoiler]
Favorable cases:
Select 2 out of 7 not selected by Jim = 7C2

Sample space:
Select 2 out of any of the 10 pictures = 10C2

Probability = 7C2/10C2
= (7*6)/(10*9)
= 7/15

Choose D

Cheers
Every job is a self-portrait of the person who did it. Autograph your work with excellence.

Kelley School of Business (Class of 2016)
GMAT Score: 750 V40 Q51 AWA 5 IR 8
https://www.beatthegmat.com/first-attemp ... tml#688494

User avatar
Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
Posts: 283
Joined: Sun Jun 23, 2013 11:56 pm
Location: Bangalore, India
Thanked: 97 times
Followed by:26 members
GMAT Score:750

by ganeshrkamath » Wed Nov 20, 2013 6:26 am
vishalpathak wrote:A group of pictures of butterflies contains 10 pictures. Jim had bought 3 of them. If 2 pictures are to be picked out from the 10 pictures, what is the probability that both pictures are not those that were already bought by Jim?

14/15
3/5
6/13
7/15
7/10

[spoiler]OA D
I did: Total number of ways to pick 2: 10C2 = 45
Total number of ways to pick the 2 of Jim's 3: 3C2 = 3
Therefore probability of picking the others = 1 - 3/45 = 42/45 = 14/15. Where did I go wrong?[/spoiler]
I think you are not including some cases:
Total number of ways of picking 1 out of Jim's and one not: 3C1 * 7C1 = 3*7 = 21
Therefore probability of picking the others = 1 - 3/45 - 21/45 = 21/45 = 7/15

Hope this helps.
Cheers
Every job is a self-portrait of the person who did it. Autograph your work with excellence.

Kelley School of Business (Class of 2016)
GMAT Score: 750 V40 Q51 AWA 5 IR 8
https://www.beatthegmat.com/first-attemp ... tml#688494

Senior | Next Rank: 100 Posts
Posts: 37
Joined: Wed Sep 11, 2013 4:33 am

by vishalpathak » Wed Nov 20, 2013 6:42 am
ganeshrkamath wrote:
vishalpathak wrote:A group of pictures of butterflies contains 10 pictures. Jim had bought 3 of them. If 2 pictures are to be picked out from the 10 pictures, what is the probability that both pictures are not those that were already bought by Jim?

14/15
3/5
6/13
7/15
7/10

[spoiler]OA D
I did: Total number of ways to pick 2: 10C2 = 45
Total number of ways to pick the 2 of Jim's 3: 3C2 = 3
Therefore probability of picking the others = 1 - 3/45 = 42/45 = 14/15. Where did I go wrong?[/spoiler]
Favorable cases:
Select 2 out of 7 not selected by Jim = 7C2

Sample space:
Select 2 out of any of the 10 pictures = 10C2

Probability = 7C2/10C2
= (7*6)/(10*9)
= 7/15

Choose D

Cheers
got it .. thanks

GMAT/MBA Expert

User avatar
GMAT Instructor
Posts: 16207
Joined: Mon Dec 08, 2008 6:26 pm
Location: Vancouver, BC
Thanked: 5254 times
Followed by:1268 members
GMAT Score:770

by Brent@GMATPrepNow » Wed Nov 20, 2013 6:59 am
vishalpathak wrote:A group of pictures of butterflies contains 10 pictures. Jim had bought 3 of them. If 2 pictures are to be picked out from the 10 pictures, what is the probability that both pictures are not those that were already bought by Jim?

14/15
3/5
6/13
7/15
7/10
The wording of this question is somewhat ambiguous.

If we say that "both pictures are not those that were already bought by Jim," does this mean that NEITHER picture can be pre-purchased, or does it mean that it's okay for 1 picture to be pre-purchased (but not both)?

For example, if I forbid a child to eat BOTH of the candies in the bowl, does this mean that the child can eat one of the candies? Or does it mean that the child can eat NEITHER?

vishalpathak's answer of [spoiler]14/15[/spoiler] is correct if we say that ONE (but not both) of the pictures can be pre-purchased.

ganeshrkamath's answer of [spoiler]7/15[/spoiler] is correct if we say that NEITHER of the pictures can be pre-purchased.

Cheers,
Brent
Brent Hanneson - Creator of GMATPrepNow.com
Image

GMAT/MBA Expert

User avatar
Elite Legendary Member
Posts: 10392
Joined: Sun Jun 23, 2013 6:38 pm
Location: Palo Alto, CA
Thanked: 2867 times
Followed by:511 members
GMAT Score:800

by [email protected] » Wed Nov 20, 2013 11:40 am
Hi vishalpathak,

ganeshrkamath has one way to do the "math" behind this question. Here's another.

Total Pictures = 10
Jim's = 3
Not Jim's = 7

Probability of picking 2 pictures that are NOT Jim's:

Probability of 1st: 7/10
Probability of 2nd: 6/9

(7/10)(6/9) = 42/90 = 7/15

Final Answer: D

GMAT assassins aren't born, they're made,
Rich
Contact Rich at [email protected]
Image