A container contains 5 ripe mangoes and 4 unripe mangoes. Two mangoes are picked successively at random without replacement. What is the probability that both mangoes are ripe?

Answer and explanation

Correct answer: A. 5/18

  1. Step 1: Total mangoes initially = 9. P(1st ripe) = 5/9. Step 2. After removing one ripe mango without replacement, 4 ripe remain out of 8 total. P(2nd ripe | 1st ripe) = 4/8 = 1/2. Step 3. Combined probability = (5/9) × (1/2) = 5/18. Answer: 5/18. Why not the others: 25/81 assumes replacement (5/9 × 5/9); 5/9 is single draw probability; 10/36 is 5/18 unsimplified.

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