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Probability; Equal number of boys & girls

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Probability; Equal number of boys & girls [#permalink] New post 06 Jul 2010, 10:49
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Question Stats:

22% (01:11) correct 77% (01:02) wrong based on 9 sessions
From a group of 3 boys and 3 girls, 4 children are to be randomly selected. What is the
probability that equal numbers of boys and girls will be selected?

A.1/10
B.4/9
C.1/2
D.3/5
E.2/3
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Re: Probability; Equal number of boys & girls [#permalink] New post 06 Jul 2010, 12:06
Hussain15 wrote:
From a group of 3 boys and 3 girls, 4 children are to be randomly selected. What is the
probability that equal numbers of boys and girls will be selected?

A.1/10
B.4/9
C.1/2
D.3/5
E.2/3



So we are asked - what is probability of selecting 2 boys and 2 girls right:

We were not told about the actual selection, hence Before finding the probability, we should find what the different ways in which we can select 4 children.
So select 1 boy, then 1 boy, then 1 girl and then 1 girl or you can also select 1 B, 1 G, 1 B and 1 G.
Basically selecting 4 from BBGG. ie. 4 * 3 * 2 *1 / (2! * 2!) ways of making the selection. = 6.

Probability of selecting 1st boy = 3/6
Probability of selecting 2nd boy = 2/5 (as we have already selected one boy above)
Probability of selecting 1st Girl = 3/4
Probability of selecting 2nd Girl = 2/3

Multiply all of above with different ways of selecting the children =
P (selecting 2 boys and 2 girls) = 3/6 * 2/5 * 3/4 * 2/3 * 6 = 3/5

Answer : D
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Re: Probability; Equal number of boys & girls [#permalink] New post 06 Jul 2010, 13:34
surjoy wrote:
Hussain15 wrote:
From a group of 3 boys and 3 girls, 4 children are to be randomly selected. What is the
probability that equal numbers of boys and girls will be selected?

A.1/10
B.4/9
C.1/2
D.3/5
E.2/3



So we are asked - what is probability of selecting 2 boys and 2 girls right:

We were not told about the actual selection, hence Before finding the probability, we should find what the different ways in which we can select 4 children.
So select 1 boy, then 1 boy, then 1 girl and then 1 girl or you can also select 1 B, 1 G, 1 B and 1 G.
Basically selecting 4 from BBGG. ie. 4 * 3 * 2 *1 / (2! * 2!) ways of making the selection. = 6.

Probability of selecting 1st boy = 3/6
Probability of selecting 2nd boy = 2/5 (as we have already selected one boy above)
Probability of selecting 1st Girl = 3/4
Probability of selecting 2nd Girl = 2/3

Multiply all of above with different ways of selecting the children =
P (selecting 2 boys and 2 girls) = 3/6 * 2/5 * 3/4 * 2/3 * 6 = 3/5

Answer : D


There is actually much simpler approach for this problem.

P (selecting 2 boys and 2 girls) = (No. of ways of selecting 2 boys out of 3 * no. of ways of selecting 2 girls out of 3) / Total ways of selecting 4 out of 6 children
= 3C2 * 3C2 / 6C4 = 3/5 (D)
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Re: Probability; Equal number of boys & girls [#permalink] New post 06 Jul 2010, 13:41
Fairly straightforward question I think.

Ways to select 2 boys out of 3 = 3C2 = Ways to select 2 girls out of 3

Total ways to select 4 children = 6C4

So probability = \frac{3C2*3C2}{6C4} = \frac{3}{5}

Hope this helps!
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Re: Probability; Equal number of boys & girls [#permalink] New post 06 Jul 2010, 14:11
any bible for the GMAT probability and combination? i read the MGMAT, it helps a little...any better books out there?
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Re: Probability; Equal number of boys & girls [#permalink] New post 09 Jul 2010, 00:56
tt11234 wrote:
any bible for the GMAT probability and combination? i read the MGMAT, it helps a little...any better books out there?


Probability & Combination questions are not so common in GMAT. Hardly one can see 2 or max 3. So try to give your valuable time to the remaining 98% area of GMAT Quantative section. The concepts covered in MGMAT probability section are sufficient to answer a normal GMAT question. If you will go for a bible of GMAT probability, you will merely waste your time. So use this time to cover the topics which are most common in GMAT like number properties, Word problems & inequalities.

Best of luck.
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Re: Probability; Equal number of boys & girls   [#permalink] 09 Jul 2010, 00:56
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