Last visit was: 24 Apr 2026, 01:35 It is currently 24 Apr 2026, 01:35
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
User avatar
Bunuel
User avatar
Math Expert
Joined: 02 Sep 2009
Last visit: 23 Apr 2026
Posts: 109,802
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 105,868
Products:
Expert
Expert reply
Active GMAT Club Expert! Tag them with @ followed by their username for a faster response.
Posts: 109,802
Kudos: 810,913
 [27]
2
Kudos
Add Kudos
25
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Most Helpful Reply
User avatar
WoundedTiger
Joined: 25 Apr 2012
Last visit: 03 Jan 2026
Posts: 520
Own Kudos:
2,584
 [6]
Given Kudos: 740
Location: India
GPA: 3.21
WE:Business Development (Other)
Products:
Posts: 520
Kudos: 2,584
 [6]
5
Kudos
Add Kudos
1
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
User avatar
EgmatQuantExpert
User avatar
e-GMAT Representative
Joined: 04 Jan 2015
Last visit: 02 Apr 2024
Posts: 3,657
Own Kudos:
20,872
 [6]
Given Kudos: 165
Expert
Expert reply
Posts: 3,657
Kudos: 20,872
 [6]
5
Kudos
Add Kudos
1
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
General Discussion
User avatar
King407
Joined: 03 Sep 2014
Last visit: 25 Jul 2020
Posts: 68
Own Kudos:
173
 [5]
Given Kudos: 89
Concentration: Marketing, Healthcare
4
Kudos
Add Kudos
1
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Bunuel
A bag contains 5 white marbles and 5 black marbles. If each of 5 girls and 5 boys randomly selects and keeps a marble, what is the probability that all of the girls select the same colored marble?

A. 1/126
B. 1/120
C. 1/24
D. 4/25
E. 1/2

Kudos for a correct solution.

First girl can pick any marble, rest of the girls should pick same as her

=> P(First Girl) = \(\frac{10}{10}\)(as she can choose any marble) and rest follows;

=> \(1*\frac{4}{9}*\frac{3}{8}*\frac{2}{7}*\frac{1}{6} = \frac{1}{126}\)

Hence Answer is A
User avatar
schazamhuzzah
Joined: 05 Nov 2014
Last visit: 26 Mar 2017
Posts: 33
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 362
Status:I am ready!
Location: India
GMAT 1: 700 Q49 V35
GMAT 1: 700 Q49 V35
Posts: 33
Kudos: 16
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
total possibilities: 5 girls can choose any 5 of the 10 marbles => 10c5
Total favourable: all 5 girls choose only white or black = 2 posibilities

Answer= (2/10c5) ::A
User avatar
1991sehwag
Joined: 16 Jan 2015
Last visit: 11 Jan 2017
Posts: 36
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 44
Location: United States
GMAT Date: 05-20-2015
GPA: 3.06
WE:Business Development (Commercial Banking)
Posts: 36
Kudos: 91
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
10/10 * 4/9 * 3/8 * 2/7 * 1/6 = 1/126

Option A is the answer
avatar
shallow9323
Joined: 16 May 2015
Last visit: 02 Jun 2015
Posts: 13
Own Kudos:
6
 [1]
Given Kudos: 133
Posts: 13
Kudos: 6
 [1]
1
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Bunuel
A bag contains 5 white marbles and 5 black marbles. If each of 5 girls and 5 boys randomly selects and keeps a marble, what is the probability that all of the girls select the same colored marble?

A. 1/126
B. 1/120
C. 1/24
D. 4/25
E. 1/2

Kudos for a correct solution.

Please let me know if my logic is correct

I looked at as.
first, total ways to select for all boys and girls,
that is, 10!/(5!*5!)= 252
then there are one two way girls can have all same colors, either white or black.

Therefore, total favorable outcomes/total outcomes = 2/252= 1/126
User avatar
ShashankDave
Joined: 03 Apr 2013
Last visit: 26 Jan 2020
Posts: 215
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 872
Location: India
Concentration: Marketing, Finance
GMAT 1: 740 Q50 V41
GPA: 3
GMAT 1: 740 Q50 V41
Posts: 215
Kudos: 301
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Bunuel
A bag contains 5 white marbles and 5 black marbles. If each of 5 girls and 5 boys randomly selects and keeps a marble, what is the probability that all of the girls select the same colored marble?

A. 1/126
B. 1/120
C. 1/24
D. 4/25
E. 1/2

Kudos for a correct solution.

Bunuel
Please help.. to count the number of all possible outcomes..we have used
\(10c5\)
But this is used when all of the objects are distinct..but here there are 5 similar things of one kind and 5 of the other. Please elaborate on this..as this will help me understand a lot.
User avatar
Fdambro294
Joined: 10 Jul 2019
Last visit: 20 Aug 2025
Posts: 1,331
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 1,656
Posts: 1,331
Kudos: 772
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
1st: Each of the 5 White Marbles are Identical. Each of the 5 Black Marbles are Identical.

However, since Each Girl and Each Boy is Distinct, it matters which Boy or Girl receives a Black or White Marble.


Probability = (No. of Favorable Ways in which the 5 Girls receive B-B-B-B-B or W-W-W-W-W-) / (Total No. of Ways to Distribute the 5 White and 5 Black Marbles among the 5 Girls and 5 Boys)


there are only 2 Favorable Outcomes ------> All 5 Girls receive the 5 Black -OR- All 5 Girls receive the 5 White

_____________________________________________________________
DEN = Total No. of Ways to Distribute 5 Identical Whites and 5 Identical Blacks to -------> 5 Distinct Girls and 5 Distinct Boys


Case 1: All 5 Girls receive 5 White Marbles AND All 5 Boys receive 5 Black Marbles

"5 choose 5" * "5 choose 5" = 1 Way under this Scenario


Case 2:
4 Girls gets 4 White -AND- 1 Girl gets 1 Black
____________________________________

We need to find all the different ways we can put together a Combination of 4 Girls to give the 4 Whites to. Once we give the 4 Whites away to the 4 Girls, the 5th Girl who gest the 1 Black will automatically be chosen.

we can do this in -----> "5 choose 4" No. of Ways = 5! / (4!)(1!) = 5 Ways

----AND----

1 Boys gets 1 White -AND- 4 Boys get 4 Black
_______________________________________

We need to shuffle around the 5 Different Ways for the Girls with all the Different ways we can pair off 4 Boys to give the 4 Black to. Again, once we chose 4 Boys for a given Combination, the 5th Boy who will receive the 1 White will automatically be chosen.

We can do this in: "5 choose 4" No. of Ways -----> 5 Ways


Case 2: 5 * 5 = 25 Different Ways to Distribute the marbles in this Scenario




Case 3:
3 Girls get White -AND- 2 Girls get Black
___________________________________

Following the Same Logic, how many different ways can we group together 3 Girls to give the White to? Once we have chosen 3 Girls for any given Combination, the 2 Girls who receive the 2 Black will automatically be chosen.

we can do this in: "5 choose 3" No. of Ways -------> 5! / (3!)(2!) = 10 Different Ways


-AND-

2 Boys get 2 White -AND- 3 Boys get 3 Black
_______________________________________

for Each of the 10 Different Ways above, we can shuffle them around with the Number of Different Ways we can give 2 Whites to 2 Boys and 3 Black to 3 Boys. Each of the "shuffles" (i.e., arrangements) will constitute a Unique Distribution of the Marbles

once we choose which 2 Boys will receive 2 White, the 3 Boys who will get Black automatically get chosen.

we can do this in: "5 choose 2" No. of Ways = 5! / (2!)(3!) = 10 ways


Total No. of Unique Distributions under Scenario 3 =
10 * 10 = 100 Ways

Case 4, Case 5, and Case 6 follow the Same Logic as above. However, we just switch around the Black and White.

Case 4:
2 Girls get 2 White -AND- 3 Girls get 3 Black

---AND---

3 Boys get 3 White -AND- 2 Boys get 2 Black

100 Ways

Case 5:

25 Ways

Case 6:
1 Way in which the Girls receive NO Whites (5 Black)
and
1 Way in which the Boys receive 5 Whites (NO Black)
1*1 =

1 Ways


All the Different Ways to Distribute = DEN = Sum of All 6 Cases =

1 + 25 + 100 + 100 + 25 + 1 = 252


Probability = (2/252) = 1/126

-A-
User avatar
bumpbot
User avatar
Non-Human User
Joined: 09 Sep 2013
Last visit: 04 Jan 2021
Posts: 38,965
Own Kudos:
Posts: 38,965
Kudos: 1,117
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Automated notice from GMAT Club BumpBot:

A member just gave Kudos to this thread, showing it’s still useful. I’ve bumped it to the top so more people can benefit. Feel free to add your own questions or solutions.

This post was generated automatically.
Moderators:
Math Expert
109802 posts
Tuck School Moderator
853 posts