Question:medium

A box contains 5 red balls and 3 blue balls. If two balls are drawn randomly without replacement, what is the probability that one of the balls is red and the other is blue?

Show Hint

Use combinations to calculate probabilities when dealing with random draws without replacement.
Updated On: Jan 13, 2026
  • \( \frac{5}{8} \)
  • \( \frac{15}{28} \)
  • \( \frac{3}{8} \)
  • \( \frac{1}{2} \)
Show Solution

The Correct Option is B

Solution and Explanation

The total count of balls is: \[ 5 + 3 = 8 \text{ balls}. \] The combinations for selecting 2 balls from 8 are: \[ \binom{8}{2} = \frac{8 \times 7}{2} = 28. \] The count of desired outcomes (one red ball and one blue ball) is: \[ \binom{5}{1} \times \binom{3}{1} = 5 \times 3 = 15. \] Consequently, the likelihood of selecting one red ball and one blue ball is: \[ \frac{15}{28}. \] The definitive answer is: \[ \boxed{\frac{15}{28}}. \]
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