Example 11

A bag of candy contains candies of different fruit flavors. Four candies are strawberry-, eight are
lemon-, and three are cherry-flavored. If two candies are picked at random without replacement,
what is the probability that they both will have the same flavor?

Solution :
 Step 1 (Identify the experiment, an outcome, and what constitutes a successful outcome)
Experiment : Picking two candies
An outcome : The two flavors picked
A successful outcome : The flavors are the same

 Step 2 (Count the total number of outcomes)

Use the counting principle
15 ×14=210 different ways

 Step 3 (Find the number of successful outcomes)

 Find the number of ways we can pick two candies of each flavor
 Strawberry candies : 4 ×3=12 ways
 Lemon candies : 8 ×7=56 ways
 Cherry candies : 3 ×2=6 ways
 Add all of the number of ways of each flavor
12+56+6=74 ways

 Step 4 (Define the probability)

successful outcomes 74
=
total number of outcomes 210
37
We can reduce it, so we get
105
Or, to the nearest percent, the answer is 35 %

37
∴ So, the probability will have the same flavor of two candies is or 35 % .
105

Example 12
A card is drawn from an ordinary deck of 52 playing crads and replaced in the deck. A second
card is then drawn. What is the probability that both are picture cards?

Solution :

 We can solve that problem by a different use of the counting principle

1. First way
 Step 1 (Identify the experiment, an outcome, and what constitutes a successful
outcome)
Experiment : Pick two card
An outcome : The types of cards picked
 A successful outcome : The two cards are picture cards (jacks, queens, or kings not
necessarily the same)
 Step 2 (Count the total number of outcomes)
52 ×52=2704 different ways

 Step 3 (Find the number of successful outcomes)

Because in the deck there are 12 picture, so the number of successful outcomes is
12 ×12=144 ways

 Step 4 (Define the probability)

successful outcomes 144
=
total number of outcomes 2704
9
We can reduce it, so we get
169
Or, to the nearest percent, the answer is 5 %

2. Second way
 Specifically, it states : The probability of an event is equal to the product of the
probabilities of being successful at each stage of the experiment.
12 3
 The probability of picking a picture card at each stage is or
52 13
 Therefore, the probability of picking two picture cards is found simply by
3 3 9
× =
13 13 169

9
∴ So, the probability will have the picture cards of two cards is or 5 %.
169