Provide an appropriate response.
On an exam on probability concepts, Mary had an answer of 13/8 for one problem. Explain how she knew that this result was correct.
To explain how Mary knew that her answer of 13/8 was correct, we need more information about the problem she was solving. Probability problems typically involve finding the ratio of desired outcomes to possible outcomes.
However, we can outline a general approach to verifying the correctness of a probability answer:
1. Read the problem carefully: Ensure you understand the question, the given information, and any constraints or conditions provided.
2. Identify the sample space: Determine all the possible outcomes of the experiment or event under consideration. This step often requires some form of enumeration or logical analysis.
3. Determine the favorable outcomes: Identify the outcomes that meet the specified conditions or criteria mentioned in the problem.
4. Calculate the probability: Divide the number of favorable outcomes by the number of possible outcomes to obtain the probability. Simplify the fraction if necessary.
Now, if Mary followed these steps and obtained a probability of 13/8, it suggests that there might be an error in her calculations. The probability of an event always lies between 0 and 1 inclusive, which means the resulting fraction should have a numerator less than or equal to the denominator. Hence, the answer of 13/8 seems inaccurate.