Math Problem Statement
- Each of six urns contains black and white balls; one has eight white and 4 black balls, two have six white and 6 black balls and three have 4 white and 8 black balls. An urn is drawn at random, and 3 balls are drawn without replacement from that urn. Two of the three are white and the other is black. What is the probability that the urn drawn contained 4 white and 8 black balls?
Solution
To solve this problem, we'll use Bayes' Theorem.
Step 1: Define the Events
-
Let represent the event that the urn is chosen, where:
- is the urn with 8 white and 4 black balls.
- and are the urns with 6 white and 6 black balls.
- are the urns with 4 white and 8 black balls.
-
Let be the event that 2 white balls and 1 black ball are drawn.
Step 2: Calculate the Probability of Drawing Each Urn
Since each urn is equally likely to be chosen, the probability of choosing any specific urn is:
Step 3: Calculate the Probability of Drawing 2 White and 1 Black Ball from Each Urn
Now, calculate the probability of drawing 2 white and 1 black ball from each urn.
- Urn 1 (8 white, 4 black):
- Urns 2 and 3 (6 white, 6 black):
- Urns 4, 5, and 6 (4 white, 8 black):
Step 4: Calculate the Total Probability of
Using the law of total probability:
Convert to a denominator of 55:
Substitute back:
Step 5: Calculate the Desired Probability using Bayes' Theorem
Finally, apply Bayes' Theorem to find the probability that the chosen urn is one with 4 white and 8 black balls (Urns 4, 5, or 6):
Substituting the values gives:
Final Result:
This step provides the final probability that the chosen urn was one with 4 white and 8 black balls.
Let me know if you would like further steps calculated or have any questions! Here are 5 related questions to explore:
- How would the result change if the number of urns was increased?
- What if the draws were done with replacement? How does that affect the probabilities?
- How do probabilities change if we alter the number of white or black balls in each urn?
- Can you determine the expected number of white balls in any urn before drawing?
- How would the calculations differ if the order of drawing balls mattered?
Tip: Understanding Bayes' Theorem is crucial for problems involving conditional probability, where you need to update beliefs based on new evidence.
Ask a new question for Free
By Image
Drop file here or Click Here to upload
Math Problem Analysis
Mathematical Concepts
Probability Theory
Bayes' Theorem
Combinatorics
Formulas
Bayes' Theorem
Theorems
Law of Total Probability
Suitable Grade Level
Advanced College Level
Related Recommendation
Probability Problem: Drawing Balls from Urns with Bayes' Theorem
Bayes' Theorem: Finding Probability of Second Urn with Conditional Probability
Bayes' Theorem Problem with Two Urns and White Ball Selection
Conditional Probability: Finding the Probability of Selecting the Second Urn
Probability, Expected Value, and Binomial Distribution Problem Involving Urns