BREAKING: Target Test Prep releases Brand New 2026 On Demand GMAT prep course

Redeem
TTP OnDemand GMAT Video Course
Featured Course

Target Test Prep GMAT OnDemand

Scott Woodbury-Stewart’s private virtual classroom — 400 hours of master-class video lessons for the GMAT Focus Edition.

  • 715+ score guarantee — highest in the industry (99th percentile)
  • 52 chapters · 1,500+ lessons · 4,000+ practice questions
  • 400 hours of video · 1,500+ instructor-led HD smartboard lessons
  • 300,000+ students accepted to Harvard, Stanford, Wharton, Booth & Sloan & more
  • 24/7 live support + weekly Zoom office hours with GMAT instructors
  • TTP AI Assist — 24/7 AI-powered virtual tutor for instant help
  • 1,200+ flashcards + AI-powered study assistant & daily calendar
  • OnDemand, LiveTeach & GMAT Bootcamp formats available
  • Also: GRE, SAT Math & Executive Assessment courses
  • MBA Admissions Consulting now available
  • 🏆 2025 EdTech Breakthrough Award: Test Prep Solution Provider of the Year
  • 200,000+ students served
  • 5-day free trial — $0 to start, no auto-billing, cancel anytime
★★★★★ 5.0 (559 reviews)
130-pt guarantee
$0 to start then $127/mo
Start Free 5-Day Trial Read 559 Reviews →

Probability question

Expert replies
Post new topic Post Reply
Previous Topic Next Topic
Senior | Next Rank: 100 Posts
Posts: 32
Joined: Sun Jul 06, 2008 11:10 pm
Location: Pakistan
Thanked: 1 times
by jawad » Sun Jul 26, 2009 10:50 pm
Hi

Please help with below probability question.

A company has the data which says that 40% of the individuals who were offered the job did not accept it. This year company offered the job to 2-people. What is the probability that atleast one of them will accept it.

Regrads ,Jawad
Jawad Shah
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
Source: — Problem Solving |
User avatar
MBA Admissions Consultant
Posts: 1090
Joined: Wed May 27, 2009 4:06 amFollowed by: 68 members
Thanked: 175 times
GMAT Score:750

by Bryant@VeritasPrep » Mon Jul 27, 2009 4:10 am
This is tricky--at first glance it appears to be a probability puzzle for mutually exclusive events since two people cannot occupy the same job (If events A and B are mutually exclusive, then the probability of A or B is simply:p(A or B) = p(A) + p(B) )

However, since the question asks simply for the probablitity that at least one of the seekers accepts the offer, then it seems correct to think of the job seekers as independent of each other. My guess, therefore, would be that there is a 60% chance that at least one of them accepts the job, since 60% of the job seekers accept on average. Mathematicians out there please chime in.
Bryant Michaels
MBA Admissions Consultant


Enroll now. Pay later. Take advantage of Veritas Prep's flexible payment plan options
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
Newbie | Next Rank: 10 Posts
Posts: 2
Joined: Wed Jul 29, 2009 5:31 pm
GMAT Score:600

by SEESAI » Wed Jul 29, 2009 5:46 pm
HI
I THINK it will be
= Probabilty candidate A accepts and Probability candidate B rejects + Probablity candidate b Accepts and Probablity candindate A rejects

=0.6*0.4+0.6*0.4
what do u think ?
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
Senior | Next Rank: 100 Posts
Posts: 60
Joined: Sat May 30, 2009 11:22 am
Thanked: 2 times

Re: Probability question

by qwe12 » Wed Jul 29, 2009 11:21 pm
jawad wrote:Hi

Please help with below probability question.

A company has the data which says that 40% of the individuals who were offered the job did not accept it. This year company offered the job to 2-people. What is the probability that atleast one of them will accept it.

Regrads ,Jawad
1-person_1_does_not_accept*person_2_does_not_accept

1-(40/100)(40/100) => 21/25
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
Senior | Next Rank: 100 Posts
Posts: 60
Joined: Sat May 30, 2009 11:22 am
Thanked: 2 times

by qwe12 » Wed Jul 29, 2009 11:22 pm
SEESAI wrote:HI
I THINK it will be
= Probabilty candidate A accepts and Probability candidate B rejects + Probablity candidate b Accepts and Probablity candindate A rejects

=0.6*0.4+0.6*0.4
what do u think ?
wrong. ignores the case that both accept.
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
Senior | Next Rank: 100 Posts
Posts: 50
Joined: Thu Apr 09, 2009 10:33 am

by gmat_2010 » Thu Jul 30, 2009 3:14 am
My solution:

The first statement gives us the probability that a person refuses a job is 0.4.

When you see AT LEAST ONE type of probability questions, try converting it into NONE, and then subtract this probability value from 1 to get the desired answer.

So, probability that neither of those offered will accept the job is 0.4*0.4 (independent probabilty. hence A AND B conberts to P(A)*P(B)).

Therefore, probability that at least one will accept the offer is 1 - 0.4*0.4 = 0.84

What is the OA?
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
Post new topic Post Reply
• Page 1 of 1