Math  /  Data & Statistics

QuestionA box contains 15 transistors, 4 of which are defective. If 4 are selected at random, find the probability of the statements below. a. All are defective b. None are defective a. The probability is \square (Type a fraction. Simplify your answer.)

Studdy Solution

STEP 1

What is this asking? We're picking 4 transistors out of a box of 15, and 4 of those 15 are broken.
We want to know the chances of picking all broken ones, and the chances of picking all working ones. Watch out! Don't mix up the number of broken transistors with the number we're picking out!
Also, remember that probabilities are always between 0 and 1.

STEP 2

1. Calculate the total number of ways to choose 4 transistors.
2. Calculate the number of ways to choose 4 defective transistors.
3. Calculate the probability of choosing 4 defective transistors.
4. Calculate the number of ways to choose 4 working transistors.
5. Calculate the probability of choosing 4 working transistors.

STEP 3

We're choosing 4 transistors out of a total of **15**.
The order doesn't matter, so we use combinations.
The formula for combinations is (nk)=n!k!(nk)! \binom{n}{k} = \frac{n!}{k!(n-k)!} , where nn is the **total number of items** and kk is the **number we're choosing**.

STEP 4

In our case, n=15n = 15 and k=4k = 4, so we have (154)=15!4!(154)!=15!4!11!=151413124321=1571312122=1365 \binom{15}{4} = \frac{15!}{4!(15-4)!} = \frac{15!}{4!11!} = \frac{15 \cdot 14 \cdot 13 \cdot 12}{4 \cdot 3 \cdot 2 \cdot 1} = 15 \cdot 7 \cdot 13 \cdot \frac{12}{12 \cdot 2} = 1365 .
There are **1365** ways to choose any 4 transistors out of 15.

STEP 5

There are **4** defective transistors, and we want to choose all **4** of them.
The number of ways to do this is (44)=4!4!(44)!=4!4!0!=4!4!1=1 \binom{4}{4} = \frac{4!}{4!(4-4)!} = \frac{4!}{4!0!} = \frac{4!}{4! \cdot 1} = 1 .
Makes sense, right?
There's only **one** way to pick all the broken ones!

STEP 6

The probability is the number of ways to choose 4 defective transistors divided by the total number of ways to choose any 4 transistors.
So, the probability is 11365\frac{1}{1365}.

STEP 7

If 4 out of the 15 transistors are defective, then 154=1115 - 4 = 11 are working.
We want to choose **4** working transistors out of the **11** available.
This is (114)=11!4!(114)!=11!4!7!=1110984321=1110388=330 \binom{11}{4} = \frac{11!}{4!(11-4)!} = \frac{11!}{4!7!} = \frac{11 \cdot 10 \cdot 9 \cdot 8}{4 \cdot 3 \cdot 2 \cdot 1} = 11 \cdot 10 \cdot 3 \cdot \frac{8}{8} = 330 .
There are **330** ways to pick 4 working transistors.

STEP 8

The probability is the number of ways to choose 4 working transistors divided by the total number of ways to choose any 4 transistors.
So, the probability is 3301365=3301365=2291\frac{330}{1365} = \frac{330}{1365} = \frac{22}{91}.

STEP 9

a. The probability of selecting 4 defective transistors is 11365\frac{1}{1365}. b. The probability of selecting 4 working transistors is 2291\frac{22}{91}.

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