Answer: 5/72
Explanation:
There are a total of 12 marbles in the bag.
The probability of selecting a red marble on the first pick is 5/12, and the probability of selecting a purple marble on the second pick is 2/12 or 1/6.
Since Sam replaces the marble back in the bag after the first pick, the probability of selecting a red marble on the first pick is not affected by the second pick.
Therefore, the probability of selecting a red marble and then a purple marble is the product of the probabilities of each event:
5/12 × 1/6 = 5/72
Thus, the probability of selecting a red marble and then a purple marble is 5/72.