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Re: Mrs. Claus is selecting three reindeer from the herd for a special [#permalink]
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OokandGluk wrote:
Bunuel wrote:
Mrs. Claus is selecting three reindeer from the herd for a special sleigh ride. Among the herd are Rudolph, Blitzen, and Comet. What is the probability that she chooses Rudolph, but not Blitzen and not Comet?

(1) The probability that she chooses Rudolph and Blitzen, but not Comet, is 1/14.
(2) The probability that she chooses none of Rudolph, Blitzen, and Comet is 5/21.


­

­
Can anyone please explain as to how the answer is D?

Question is asking us to find the probability of Rudolph only being chosen and neither Blitzen nor Comet.

Option 1 says that probability of Rudolph and Biltzen being chosen and not Comet is 1/14.
Meaning that probability of Comet being chosen and the other two not being Rudolph and Blitzen is 13/14.
How can we say anything about probability of Rudolph only being chosen by using this option?

Option 2 says that probability of choosing none of the three is 5/21. This means that probability of choosing any one of the three is 16/21.

How can we even determine the probability of Rudolph being chosen among the three?
 


The bold portion is not the correct inference.

There are n reindeers: Rudolph, Blitzen, Comet and n-3 more.
So if you know n, you can find how to choose R and not to choose B and C.
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Re: Mrs. Claus is selecting three reindeer from the herd for a special [#permalink]
Thanks for the detailed explanation chetan2u

So the final probability of only Rudolph being chosen but neither Blitzen nor Comet is (n-3)C2 divided by nC3 right? (just to verify with you)

Also if you had to rate this problem level, what would it be? 600+?

 
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Re: Mrs. Claus is selecting three reindeer from the herd for a special [#permalink]
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OokandGluk wrote:
Thanks for the detailed explanation chetan2u

So the final probability of only Rudolph being chosen but neither Blitzen nor Comet is (n-3)C2 divided by nC3 right? (just to verify with you)

Also if you had to rate this problem level, what would it be? 600+?

 


A 600 level probability question would be very basic.

Probability is a tough topic and this would be way tougher. I don’t expect to see it in PS but in DS, it could show up or could test you in similar concepts if you are in 100 percentile.

Posted from my mobile device
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Mrs. Claus is selecting three reindeer from the herd for a special [#permalink]
MartyMurray KarishmaB

Could you please share your approach to this question. I am still finding a bit hard time understanding the solution.

The doubt that I have here in this question is, why doesn't the individual probability of selecting Rudolph, Blitzen, and Comet matter to arrive at the probability ?­
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Re: Mrs. Claus is selecting three reindeer from the herd for a special [#permalink]
chetan2u wrote:
Mrs. Claus is selecting three reindeer from the herd for a special sleigh ride. Among the herd are Rudolph, Blitzen, and Comet. What is the probability that she chooses Rudolph, but not Blitzen and not Comet?

It really doesn't matter who is being chosen and who is being left. For the probability we require
a) Ways 3 reindeer can be chosen from n, in which R is selected but B and C are not selected. => one seat taken by R, the remaining two seats have to be selected from n-3(R, B and C) => n-3C2
b) Total ways of selecting 3 out of n, that is nC3, where n is total reindeers.
\(P = \frac{n-3C2}{nC3}\)
So, what you have to find is n.

(1) The probability that she chooses Rudolph and Blitzen, but not Comet, is 1/14.
Choosing two and not the third gives a probability as \(\frac{n-3C1}{nC3} = \frac{1}{14}\)
How?? 
a) Ways 3 reindeer can be chosen from n, in which R is not selected but B and C are selected. => one seat each taken by B and C, the remaining one seat has to be selected from n-3(R, B and C) => n-3C1
b) Total ways of selecting 3 out of n, that is nC3, where n is total reindeers.
\(P = \frac{n-3C1}{nC3}\)
Only one variable, and you will get the answer.
Sufficient

(2) The probability that she chooses none of Rudolph, Blitzen, and Comet is 5/21.
Choosing none of the three means selecting three from remaining n-3 and gives a probability of \(\frac{n-3C3}{nC3} = \frac{5}{21}\)
Only one variable, and you will get the answer.
Sufficient

When you solve, which is not required here, n is 9.

D



­

­Can someone pls solve and show how n=9? I get stuck when trying to solve 
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Re: Mrs. Claus is selecting three reindeer from the herd for a special [#permalink]
­Could anyone share a proper solution for this. thanks
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Re: Mrs. Claus is selecting three reindeer from the herd for a special [#permalink]
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