23. A bowl contains 18 pieces of candy: 8 red, 6 orange, and 4 green. Brandon will select 1 piece of candy at random. What is the probability Brandon will select a green piece?
Answer: B
The probability that Brandon will select a green piece of candy is 2/9.
To find the probability of selecting a green piece of candy, divide the number of green candies by the total number of candies. There are 4 green candies and 18 total candies, resulting in a probability of 4/18, which simplifies to 2/9.
A) 2/7
This option is incorrect because it does not accurately represent the ratio of green candies to total candies. The calculation resulting in 2/7 does not align with the numbers given, as the total number of candies is 18 and the number of green candies is 4.
B) 2/9
This is the correct option. The probability is calculated by taking the number of green candies (4) and dividing it by the total number of candies (18), which simplifies to 2/9. This accurately reflects the likelihood of selecting a green piece of candy.
C) 2/11
This choice is incorrect as it suggests a different total number of candies than what is provided. The calculation does not stem from the correct values (4 green candies and 18 total), making 2/11 an invalid probability for this scenario.
D) 1/8
This option is also incorrect. It implies that there is only 1 green candy for every 8 total candies, which does not match the actual ratio of 4 green candies out of 18 total candies.
E) 1/9
This option is incorrect as well because it misrepresents the number of green candies. It suggests that there is only 1 green candy among 9 total, which does not correspond to the provided counts of candies.
Conclusion
The probability of selecting a green piece of candy is definitively 2/9, as it accurately reflects the ratio of green candies to the total number of candies in the bowl. All other options fail to represent the correct calculation based on the given data, demonstrating a misunderstanding of basic probability principles.