fskilnik wrote:
GMATH practice exercise (Quant Class 19)
Four cards are chosen from a standard deck: two aces (one of Spades, another of Hearts) and two kings (one of Spades, another of Hearts). The aces are considered as -1 (Spades) and 1 (Hearts), while the kings are considered as -2 (Spades) and 2 (Hearts). If two different cards among these four are randomly chosen, and their corresponding numerical values are multiplied together, which of the following is closest to the probability that the product obtained is negative or odd (or both)?
(A) 17%
(B) 50%
(C) 56%
(D) 67%
(E) 75%
\(\left\{ { - 2, - 1,1,2} \right\}\,\, \to \,\,{\rm{two}}\,{\rm{different}}\,\,{\rm{chosen}}\)
\(? = P\left( {{\rm{odd}}\,\,{\rm{or}}\,\,{\rm{negative}}\,\,{\rm{product}}} \right)\)
\({\rm{6}}\,\,{\rm{equiprobable}}\,\,{\rm{outcomes}}\,\,:\,\,\,\left\{ \matrix{\\
\,\left\{ { - 2, - 1} \right\},\left\{ {1,2} \right\}\,\,\,\,\left( {{\rm{product}}\,\,2} \right) \hfill \cr \\
\,\left\{ { - 2,1} \right\},\left\{ { - 1,2} \right\}\,\,\,\,\left( {{\rm{product}}\,\, - 2} \right)\,\,\,::\,\,\,2\,\,{\rm{favorable}}\,\,{\rm{outcomes}} \hfill \cr \\
\,\left\{ { - 2,2} \right\}\,\,\,\,\left( {{\rm{product}}\,\, - 4} \right)\,\,\,::\,\,\,1\,\,{\rm{favorable}}\,\,{\rm{outcome}} \hfill \cr \\
\,\left\{ { - 1,1} \right\}\,\,\,\,\left( {{\rm{product}}\,\, - 1} \right)\,\,\,::\,\,\,1\,\,{\rm{favorable}}\,\,{\rm{outcome}} \hfill \cr} \right.\)
\(?\,\, = \,\,{{2 + 1 + 1} \over 6}\,\, = \,\,{2 \over 3}\,\, \cong \,\,67\%\)
The correct answer is (D).
We follow the notations and rationale taught in the
GMATH method.
Regards,
Fabio.
_________________
Fabio Skilnik :: GMATH method creator (Math for the GMAT)