document.write( "<A HREF=/cgi-bin/jump-to-question.mpl?question=1182448>Question 1182448</A>: <I><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> You have 40 individual socks in your sock drawer—10 black, 12 brown, 16 white, and 2 blue.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "What is the probability of getting either a blue pair or a black pair in two tries? </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</I><HR><TABLE width=100%><TR><TD><B><A HREF=http://www.algebra.com/>Algebra.Com's</A> Answer #812467 by </B><A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=greenestamps><B>greenestamps(13203)</B></A><img src=\"/images/stars/stars-13.gif\" alt=\"\" >&nbsp;<A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=greenestamps><IMG SRC=http://www.algebra.com/images/aboutme-small.gif BORDER=0 alt=\"About Me\" VALIGN=MIDDLE></A>&nbsp;<IMG SRC=http://www.algebra.com/cgi-bin/show-face.mpl?user=greenestamps><BR>You can <A HREF=\"/cgi-bin/embed-solution.mpl?show=1&solution=812467\">put this solution on YOUR website!</A><BR><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> <br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "The statement of the problem does not define what \"in two tries\" means -- leaving the problem open to different interpretations.<br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "I read the problem differently than the other tutor; my interpretation is that \"in two tries\" means you are selecting two of the 40 individual socks from the drawer, one after the other, without replacement.<br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "P(blue pair) = (2/40)(1/39) = 2/1560<BR>\n" );
document.write( "P(black pair) = (10/40)(9/39) = 90/1560<BR>\n" );
document.write( "P(blue pair or black pair) = 2/1560+90/1560 = 92/1560 = 23/390<br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "ANSWER: 23/390 or about 5.9%<br><BR>\n" );
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