Question

A drawer contains 50 bolts and 150 nuts. Half of the bolts and half of the nuts are rusted. If one item is chosen at random, then what is the probability that it is rusted or a bolt.

Answer 1

If the question asks__or __ probability .. we should add the respective probability

Answer 2

Answer:

The probability that the item is rusted or a bolt is 62.5%.

Step-by-step explanation:

We are given that,

Number of bolts = 50 and Number of nuts = 150

That is, Total number of items = 50 + 150 = 200

So, we have,

Probability of the item to be a bolt = $\frac{50}{200}$

Moreover, it is given that, 'Half of the bolts and nuts are rusted'.

That is, Total number of rusted items = 100

Probability of the item to be rusted = $\frac{100}{200}}$

Moreover, there are 25 bolts which are rusted.

Probability of both bolt and rusted items = $\frac{25}{200}$

Thus, the probability that it is rusted or a bolt = $\frac50}{200}+\frac{100}{200}-\frac{25}{200}$

i.e. The probability that it is rusted or a bolt = $\frac{125}{200}$ = 0.625 or 62.5%.

Hence, the probability that the item is rusted or a bolt is 62.5%.