Last visit was: 27 Mar 2025, 15:50 It is currently 27 Mar 2025, 15:50
Close
GMAT Club Daily Prep
Thank you for using the timer - this advanced tool can estimate your performance and suggest more practice questions. We have subscribed you to Daily Prep Questions via email.

Customized
for You

we will pick new questions that match your level based on your Timer History

Track
Your Progress

every week, we’ll send you an estimated GMAT score based on your performance

Practice
Pays

we will pick new questions that match your level based on your Timer History
Not interested in getting valuable practice questions and articles delivered to your email? No problem, unsubscribe here.
Close
Request Expert Reply
Confirm Cancel
505-555 Level|   Probability|                           
User avatar
Walkabout
Joined: 02 Dec 2012
Last visit: 27 Mar 2025
Posts: 172
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 35
Products:
Posts: 172
Kudos: 26,348
 [102]
8
Kudos
Add Kudos
93
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Most Helpful Reply
User avatar
Bunuel
User avatar
Math Expert
Joined: 02 Sep 2009
Last visit: 27 Mar 2025
Posts: 100,114
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 92,732
Products:
Expert
Expert reply
Active GMAT Club Expert! Tag them with @ followed by their username for a faster response.
Posts: 100,114
Kudos: 711,392
 [15]
7
Kudos
Add Kudos
8
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
General Discussion
User avatar
KarishmaB
Joined: 16 Oct 2010
Last visit: 27 Mar 2025
Posts: 15,835
Own Kudos:
72,326
 [1]
Given Kudos: 461
Location: Pune, India
Expert
Expert reply
Active GMAT Club Expert! Tag them with @ followed by their username for a faster response.
Posts: 15,835
Kudos: 72,326
 [1]
1
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
avatar
ClariceM
Joined: 14 Apr 2017
Last visit: 27 Jul 2017
Posts: 1
Own Kudos:
1
 [1]
Given Kudos: 6
Posts: 1
Kudos: 1
 [1]
1
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
For those wondering, you could also find this answer another way. The way presented above is the fastest, but, just in case you are wondering, like I was, you could also do the following:

find the value of P(white) by doing:

1 - ( P(B) + P(R) ) = P(W)

Then do:

P(W or B) = P(W) + P(B) - P( W and B)

here P (W and B) is equal to zero, because it is not independent, it is mutually exclusive. (it is mutually exclusive because if you get one red you cannot get one white for example).

so it is simply:

P(W or B) = P(W) + P(B) - 0

Here is the calculation with numbers:

1- ( 1/5 + 1/3) = 7/15 = P(W)

now do: P(W or B) = P(W) + P(B) - 0

7/15 + 1/5 - 0 = 2/3

:)

hope it helps!
I was wondering about this other method when I did the problem.
avatar
faizanqazi
Joined: 09 Jan 2017
Last visit: 19 Oct 2017
Posts: 2
Own Kudos:
4
 [2]
Given Kudos: 3
Posts: 2
Kudos: 4
 [2]
2
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
concept :

For second .

P(R) + P (B) + P (W) = 1

P (W) + P(B) = 1 - P(R)

P(R) IS GIVEN.
so 2 is sufficient.
User avatar
BrentGMATPrepNow
User avatar
Major Poster
Joined: 12 Sep 2015
Last visit: 13 May 2024
Posts: 6,769
Own Kudos:
33,155
 [2]
Given Kudos: 799
Location: Canada
Expert
Expert reply
Posts: 6,769
Kudos: 33,155
 [2]
2
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Walkabout
A box contains only red chips, white chips, and blue chips. If a chip is randomly selected from the box, what is the probability that the chip will be either white or blue?

(1) The probability that the chip will be blue is 1/5.
(2) The probability that the chip will be red is 1/3.

Target question: What is the probability that the chip is either white or blue?

Given: The box contains only red chips, white chips, and blue chips

Statement 1: The probability that the chip will be blue is 1/5.
This tells us that 1/5 of the chips are BLUE, but there's no information about the WHITE chips.

Consider these two possible cases:
Case a: There are 5 chips in total. 1 chip is blue, and 1 chip is white. In this case, the answer to the target question is P(chip is either white or blue) = 2/5
Case b: There are 5 chips in total. 1 chip is blue, and 2 chips are white. In this case, the answer to the target question is P(chip is either white or blue) = 3/5
Since we cannot answer the target question with certainty, statement 1 is NOT SUFFICIENT

Statement 2: The probability that the chip will be red is 1/3
This also tells us that the probability of selecting a NON-RED chip is 2/3
Since the box contains only red chips, white chips, and blue chips, then selecting a NON-RED chip is the same as selecting either a BLUE chip OR a WHITE chip
In other other words, P(select NON-BLUE chip) = P(selecting either a BLUE chip OR a WHITE chip)
So, the answer to the target question is P(chip is either white or blue) = 2/3

Answer: B

Cheers,
Brent
User avatar
GMATCoachBen
Joined: 21 Mar 2017
Last visit: 26 Mar 2025
Posts: 423
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 205
Status:Professional GMAT Trainer
Affiliations: GMAT Coach
Location: United States (WA)
GMAT 1: 760 Q50 V44
GMAT 2: 770 Q51 V44
GMAT 3: 770 Q50 V44
GMAT 4: 770 Q50 V45 (Online)
GMAT 5: 780 Q51 V48
Products:
Expert
Expert reply
GMAT 5: 780 Q51 V48
Posts: 423
Kudos: 1,966
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
User avatar
bumpbot
User avatar
Non-Human User
Joined: 09 Sep 2013
Last visit: 04 Jan 2021
Posts: 36,716
Own Kudos:
Posts: 36,716
Kudos: 963
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Hello from the GMAT Club BumpBot!

Thanks to another GMAT Club member, I have just discovered this valuable topic, yet it had no discussion for over a year. I am now bumping it up - doing my job. I think you may find it valuable (esp those replies with Kudos).

Want to see all other topics I dig out? Follow me (click follow button on profile). You will receive a summary of all topics I bump in your profile area as well as via email.
Moderator:
Math Expert
100114 posts