QuestionAugust 26, 2025

Michael has 3 quarters 2 dimes, and 3 nickels in his pocket. He randomly draws two coins from his pocket, one at a time and they are both dimes. He says the probability of that occurring is (1)/(4) because 2 of the 8 coins are dimes. Is he correct? Explain. square

Michael has 3 quarters 2 dimes, and 3 nickels in his pocket. He randomly draws two coins from his pocket, one at a time and they are both dimes. He says the probability of that occurring is (1)/(4) because 2 of the 8 coins are dimes. Is he correct? Explain. square
Michael has 3 quarters 2 dimes, and 3 nickels in his
pocket. He randomly draws two coins from his pocket,
one at a time and they are both dimes. He says the
probability of that occurring is (1)/(4) because 2 of the 8
coins are dimes. Is he correct? Explain.
square

Solution
4.6(254 votes)

Answer

Michael is incorrect. The correct probability is \frac{1}{28}. Explanation 1. Calculate Total Ways to Draw Two Coins The total number of ways to draw two coins from 8 is given by the combination formula \binom{n}{r}. So, \binom{8}{2} = \frac{8 \times 7}{2 \times 1} = 28. 2. Calculate Ways to Draw Two Dimes The number of ways to draw two dimes from 2 is \binom{2}{2} = 1. 3. Calculate Probability of Drawing Two Dimes The probability is the ratio of favorable outcomes to total outcomes: \frac{1}{28}.

Explanation

1. Calculate Total Ways to Draw Two Coins<br /> The total number of ways to draw two coins from 8 is given by the combination formula $\binom{n}{r}$. So, $\binom{8}{2} = \frac{8 \times 7}{2 \times 1} = 28$.<br /><br />2. Calculate Ways to Draw Two Dimes<br /> The number of ways to draw two dimes from 2 is $\binom{2}{2} = 1$.<br /><br />3. Calculate Probability of Drawing Two Dimes<br /> The probability is the ratio of favorable outcomes to total outcomes: $\frac{1}{28}$.
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