A box contains 9 white counters, 2 yellow counters, and 5 blue counters. If one counter is chosen without looking, what is the probability that it is blue?
- 9 white counters
- 2 yellow counters
- 5 blue counters
Choose the best answer.
Note
For basic probability, compare the number of favorable outcomes with the total number of equally likely outcomes.
- Count the favorable outcomes first: there are 5 blue counters.
- Then count all possible outcomes: 9 + 2 + 5 = 16.
- Probability means favorable outcomes divided by total outcomes, so the probability is 5/16, which simplifies to 5/16.
The correct answer is 5/16. This matches the calculation or definition, so students should focus on the reasoning rather than only memorizing the final value.