Thread: Probability with unlimited numbers

Heres the question,
A store carries sweaters in three colors (Brown, gray and red). Assume he store has an unlimited number of sweaters and that customers select color at random.

a. What is the probability that three customers will select the same color?

b. Determine the probability the three customers will not all select the same color.

Thanks in advance for any help.

Originally Posted by lph2

Heres the question,
A store carries sweaters in three colors (Brown, gray and red). Assume he store has an unlimited number of sweaters and that customers select color at random.
a. What is the probability that three customers will select the same color?
b. Determine the probability the three customers will not all select the same color.

This is an ill formed question. If seven or more customers buy sweaters then three of them will necessarily buy the same color. Is that what the question really says?

Originally Posted by Plato

This is an ill formed question. If seven or more customers buy sweaters then three of them will necessarily buy the same color. Is that what the question really says?

No there are an unlimited number of each color sweaters and only three people picking sweaters. Basically the problem says you do not have to subtract 1 from the denominator to make up for the missing colored sweater. I thought the probability would be 1/3 cubed for the first question but that does not seem to make sense to me. Let me know if this helps

Originally Posted by lph2

No there are an unlimited number of each color sweaters and only three people picking sweaters. Basically the problem says you do not have to subtract 1 from the denominator to make up for the missing colored sweater. I thought the probability would be 1/3 cubed for the first question but that does not seem to make sense to me. Let me know if this helps

There are for the three people to buy a sweater.
There are just 3 ways for the three people to all buy the same color.