What is the probability of picking at least one white ball

This topic has expert replies
Senior | Next Rank: 100 Posts
Posts: 48
Joined: Wed Aug 27, 2008 9:58 am
If two balls are to be choosen from 3 red balls and 2 white balls, what is the probability of picking at least one white ball?

Legendary Member
Posts: 1153
Joined: Wed Jun 20, 2007 6:21 am
Thanked: 146 times
Followed by:2 members
nh8404052006 wrote:If two balls are to be choosen from 3 red balls and 2 white balls, what is the probability of picking at least one white ball?

at least 1 white = probability of picking 1 white + probability of picking 2 white


Probability of picking 1 white

2C1 * 3C1 / 5C2 = 6/10

Probability of picking 2 white

2C2 / 5C2 = 1/10


total probability = 6/10 + 1/10 = 7/10

Hope this helps.
No rest for the Wicked....

Legendary Member
Posts: 2467
Joined: Thu Aug 28, 2008 6:14 pm
Thanked: 331 times
Followed by:11 members

by cramya » Sun Dec 28, 2008 2:53 pm
2C1->PICKING 1 WHITE BALL FROM 2
3C1->PICKING 1 RED BALL FROM 3

2C2->PICKING 2 WHITE BALLS FROM 2

5C1->NUMBER OF WAY 2 BALLS CAN BE PCIKED FROM 5

2C1*3C1 + 2C2 / 5C2

= 7/10


(OR)
P(atleast one) = 1 - p(none) where p(none) is pciking red ball first and red ball second

= 1- 3/5*2/4
= 7/10

Senior | Next Rank: 100 Posts
Posts: 62
Joined: Fri Dec 21, 2007 2:58 pm
Location: Fremont , California
Thanked: 3 times

by kishore » Sun Dec 28, 2008 8:39 pm
If two balls are to be choosen from 3 red balls and 2 white balls, what is the probability of picking at least one white ball?


Answer: probability of picking at least one white ball is

1 - (probability of picking only red ball)

1 - ( 3C2/5C2) = 1- (3/10) = 7/10

Legendary Member
Posts: 621
Joined: Wed Apr 09, 2008 7:13 pm
Thanked: 33 times
Followed by:4 members

by vittalgmat » Sun Dec 28, 2008 11:36 pm
The quickest way to solve probability problems which have "atleast" is to do the 1 - P(something else happening all the time), if that is possible, and most of the times it is possible.

I find this approach very scalable.

just my opinion.

Thanks