Final answer:
To calculate the number of different outcomes, multiply the number of choices for each selection. The probability of winning the lottery is the number of favorable outcomes divided by the total number of different outcomes.
Step-by-step explanation:
In order to calculate the number of different outcomes, we need to consider the number of choices for each selection.
a. To select five numbers from 1-59, we have 59 choices for the first number, 58 choices for the second number, and so on, until 55 choices for the fifth number. So the total number of different outcomes for the five numbers is 59 * 58 * 57 * 56 * 55.
To select a powerball number from 1-35, we have 35 choices.
Therefore, the total number of different outcomes is 59 * 58 * 57 * 56 * 55 * 35.
b. The probability of winning the lottery is the number of favorable outcomes (in this case, only one outcome) divided by the total number of different outcomes. So the probability of winning the lottery is 1 / (59 * 58 * 57 * 56 * 55 * 35).