[Math] probability word problems with marbles

probability

Select 3 marbles at random from a jar with 6-blue, 4-green, and 3-red. What is probability that
A.All are green?
B.What is probability of selecting 2-blue and 1-red?
C.What is probability of selecting in exact order 1 blue, 1 green, and 1 red?

Best Answer

Presumably we are sampling without replacement.

A: There are $13$ balls, so $\dbinom{13}{3}$ ways to choose $3$ balls. All these ways are equally likely. There are $\dbinom{4}{3}$ ways to choose $3$ green. Divide.

B: Same denominator. There are $\dbinom{6}{2}$ ways to choose $2$ blue. For each of these ways, there are $\dbinom{3}{1}$ ways to choose $1$ red, for a total of $\dbinom{6}{2}\dbinom{3}{1}$. Now divide.

C: The probability that the first is blue is $\dfrac{6}{13}$. Given this has happened, the probability the next is green is $\dfrac{4}{12}$. Given these two things have happened, the probability the last is red is $\dfrac{3}{11}$. Multiply.