Each of the four children has a bag with five different c

This topic has expert replies
Legendary Member
Posts: 1223
Joined: Sat Feb 15, 2020 2:23 pm
Followed by:1 members

Timer

00:00

Your Answer

A

B

C

D

E

Global Stats

Each of the four children has a bag with five different colored discs in it; red blue green yellow and orange. If each child in succession randomly chooses exactly one disc from his bag to flip into a hat. What is the probability that hat will no hold no repeated colours at the end flipping?

A) 1/5
B) 6/625
C) 24/625
D) 24/125
E) 6/125

Answer: D
Source: 800GMAT

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
BTGModeratorVI wrote:
Tue Mar 31, 2020 5:08 am
Each of the four children has a bag with five different colored discs in it; red blue green yellow and orange. If each child in succession randomly chooses exactly one disc from his bag to flip into a hat. What is the probability that hat will no hold no repeated colours at the end flipping?

A) 1/5
B) 6/625
C) 24/625
D) 24/125
E) 6/125

Answer: D
Source: 800GMAT
As with most probability questions on the GMAT, we can use either counting techniques or probability rules.
Let's use probability rules:

P(no repeated colors) = P(ANY color disc is chosen 1st AND color of 2nd disc is different from 1st disc AND color of 3rd disc is different from 1st and 2nd disc AND color of 4th disc is different from other discs)
= P(ANY color disc is chosen 1st) x P(color of 2nd disc is different from 1st disc) x P(color of 3rd disc is different from 1st and 2nd disc) x P(color of 4th disc is different from other discs)
= 1 x 4/5 x 3/5 x 2/5
= 24/125

Answer: D

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

Legendary Member
Posts: 2229
Joined: Sun Oct 29, 2017 2:04 pm
Followed by:6 members
BTGModeratorVI wrote:
Tue Mar 31, 2020 5:08 am
Each of the four children has a bag with five different colored discs in it; red blue green yellow and orange. If each child in succession randomly chooses exactly one disc from his bag to flip into a hat. What is the probability that hat will no hold no repeated colours at the end flipping?

A) 1/5
B) 6/625
C) 24/625
D) 24/125
E) 6/125

Answer: D
Source: 800GMAT
Total Outcomes = 5*5*5*5 = 5^4 [Because every child has 5 ways to choose one disc from his/her bag]

Favourable Outcomes = 5C4*4!
[5C4 are the ways to select 4 colours out of 5 colours for discs
and
4! are the ways to arrange the different coloured discs among 4 children]

i.e. Favourable Outcomes = 5C4*4!= 5*24 = 120

Probability = 120/5^4 = 24/125

Therefore, D

GMAT/MBA Expert

User avatar
GMAT Instructor
Posts: 7249
Joined: Sat Apr 25, 2015 10:56 am
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Thanked: 43 times
Followed by:29 members
BTGModeratorVI wrote:
Tue Mar 31, 2020 5:08 am
Each of the four children has a bag with five different colored discs in it; red blue green yellow and orange. If each child in succession randomly chooses exactly one disc from his bag to flip into a hat. What is the probability that hat will no hold no repeated colours at the end flipping?

A) 1/5
B) 6/625
C) 24/625
D) 24/125
E) 6/125

Answer: D
Source: 800GMAT
The first child can flip a disc of any color into the hat; thus, his probability is 5/5 = 1. The second child can flip a disc of any color other than the color the first child has already flipped; thus, his probability is 4/5. Using the same analogy, the probability of the third child is 3/5 and that of the fourth child is 2/5. Therefore, the overall probability is 1 x 4/5 x 3/5 x 2/5 = 24/125.

Answer: D

Scott Woodbury-Stewart
Founder and CEO
[email protected]

Image

See why Target Test Prep is rated 5 out of 5 stars on BEAT the GMAT. Read our reviews

ImageImage