Final answer:
The probability that the time is 4:17 when the hour is obscured and the minutes read 17 is either 1/12 for a 12-hour clock or 1/24 for a 24-hour clock, depending on the clock format used.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question asks what is the probability that the time is 4:17 if only the minute digits are visible and they read 17. Since the hour digit is obscured, we must consider how many possible hours there are on a digital clock that can precede ':17'. A digital clock in a 12-hour format can display 12 different hours: from 1 through 12. Because we have 1 minute that we're certain of (':17') and 12 potential hours, there is only one instance where it can be 4:17, thus giving us a probability of 1/12.
In a scenario where we consider a 24-hour format clock, there would be 24 different hours. Similarly, only one of these hours would be 4:17, which would result in a probability of 1/24. The probability differs based on whether the clock is in 12-hour or 24-hour mode but was not specified by the question.