Select the correct answer.

You are wearing a pair of cargo pants with six pockets. You've put \$10 in one of the pockets, but you cannot remember which one. After checking two pockets without success, what is the probability that the money will be in the next pocket you check?

A. [tex]\frac{1}{5}[/tex]
B. [tex]\frac{1}{4}[/tex]
C. [tex]\frac{1}{3}[/tex]
D. [tex]\frac{1}{4}[/tex]



Answer :

To solve the problem, follow these steps:

1. Identify the total number of pockets:
You have a total of 6 pockets.

2. Determine how many pockets you have already checked:
You have checked 2 of the 6 pockets and did not find the money in either.

3. Calculate the remaining pockets to check:
Since you have already checked 2 pockets and did not find the money, you have 6 - 2 = 4 pockets left to check.

4. Calculate the probability:
The probability that the money will be in any given pocket is the number of favorable outcomes (finding the money) divided by the number of possible outcomes (the remaining pockets). Therefore, the probability that the money will be in the next pocket you check is:
[tex]\[ \text{Probability} = \frac{1}{\text{remaining pockets}} = \frac{1}{4} \][/tex]

So, the probability that the money will be in the next pocket you check is \(\frac{1}{4}\).

The correct answer is B. [tex]\(\frac{1}{4}\)[/tex].