A box contains 8 white buttons, 5 purple buttons, and 4 orange buttons. If one button is chosen without looking, what is the probability that it is orange?
- 8 white buttons
- 5 purple buttons
- 4 orange buttons
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 4 orange buttons.
- Then count all possible outcomes: 8 + 5 + 4 = 17.
- Probability means favorable outcomes divided by total outcomes, so the probability is 4/17, which simplifies to 4/17.
The correct answer is 4/17. This matches the calculation or definition, so students should focus on the reasoning rather than only memorizing the final value.