Question

A box contains 1 plain pencil and 4 pens. A second box contains 5 color pencils and 5 crayons. One item from each box is chosen at random. What is the probability that a plain pencil from the first box and a color pencil from the second box are selected?

Write your answer as a fraction in simplest form.

Answer 1

1 pencil and 4 pens = 5 total

Picking the pencil would be 1/5 ( 1 pencil out of 5 total items)

5 color pencils + 5 crayons = 10 total items.

Picking a color pencil would be 5/10 which reduces to 1/2

To find the probability of both happening, multiply them together:

1/5 x 1/2 = 1/10

The probability is 1/10