Question

A jewelry box contains two gold hoop earrings and two silver hoop earrings. You randomly choose two earrings. What is the probability that both are silver hoop earrings? Write your answer as a fraction or percent rounded to the nearest tenth.

The probability that both are silver hoop earrings is:

Answer 1

2 + 2 = 4 total earrings in the box.

If you put the earring back into the box before taking out the second, it would be 1/2 * 1/2 = 1/4, 25%.

Answer 2

1/6 or 16.7%

Explanation:

There are a total of 4 earrings in the box: 2 pairs of earrings + 2 pairs of earrings.

If you return the first earring to the box before removing the second, the answer is 1/2 * 1/2 = 1/4, or 25%.

If you remove the first earring from the package, the response is 1/2 * 1/3 = 1/6, or 16.7%.