SOLUTION: you are walking along a beach in s.c. where there are equal numbers of clam shells, scallop shells and mussel shells.... you pick up three at random. How many possible outcomes co

Algebra.Com
Question 617668: you are walking along a beach in s.c. where there are equal numbers of clam shells, scallop shells and mussel shells.... you pick up three at random.
How many possible outcomes could there be?
what is the probability that the first of the three will be a mussel shell?
I need to know how to do this?

Answer by scott8148(6628)   (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!
the 1st shell could be c, s, or m ___ 3 possibilities total

each of the three 1st possibilities, then has three 2nd possibilities ___ 3^2 possibilities total

this pattern keeps repeating, with each additional shell increasing the possible outcomes by a factor of 3

so picking up three shells has 3^3 possible outcomes

the probability that the 1st shell will be m, is one in three or 1/3

RELATED QUESTIONS

You collect four shells from the beach. You know that there are only three types of... (answered by ikleyn,greenestamps)
Lydia collects shells. She has 24 sea snail shells, 16 conch shells, and 32 scallop... (answered by ikleyn)
Lydia collects shells. She has 40 sea snail shells, 32 conch shells, and 16 scallop... (answered by ikleyn)
In the shell game, there are 3 large shells. A ball is placed under one of the shells,... (answered by Boreal)
stanley found alot of seashells at the beach.Of the seashells, he found 5/8 were blue.If... (answered by josmiceli)
Ricky has 12 1/2 pounds of flour with which to make soft taco shells. There are 3 3/4... (answered by stanbon)
Elmer has a collection of 300 fossils. Of these, 21%, percent are fossilized snail... (answered by Alan3354)
there are 10 boxes numbered 1 to 10 each box. there are 1000 shells each having 1 gram... (answered by macston)
Elliot, Ryan and Andrew collect shells. Elliot collects 20% more shells then Andrew.... (answered by josmiceli)