Problem:
Each of two boxes contains three chips numbered . A chip is drawn randomly from each box and the numbers on the two chips are multiplied. What is the probability that their product is even?
Answer Choices:
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
Solution:
The nine possible equally likely outcomes are:
In five of the nine outcomes the product is even. Therefore the probability is .
The only way the product of the two values could be odd is if an odd number is drawn from each box. The probability that this occurs is . So the probability that the product is even is .
Answer: .
The problems on this page are the property of the MAA's American Mathematics Competitions