# [SOLVED] Probability Tree Diagram Problem

• Feb 27th 2010, 02:08 PM
fb280
[SOLVED] Probability Tree Diagram Problem
I'm trying to figure out how I would put this problem into a tree diagram, and how i would read it.

"A computer package sale comes with two different choices of printers and four different choices of monitors. If a store wants to display each package combination that is for sale, how many packages must be displayed?"

I dont need the answer to this, just some guidance would be great.
• Feb 27th 2010, 06:40 PM
ANDS!
A tree diagram is developed by having lines for each choice a person can make at a every branch of the tree. For instance, if you have 3 shirts, and 2 shoes, a tree diagram might be:

Shoe 1 "Shirt 1 and Shoe 1"
Shirt 1 -
Shoe 2 "Shirt 1 and Shoe 2"

Shoe 1 "Shirt 2 and Shoe 1"
Shirt 2 -
Shoe 2 "Shirt 2 and Shoe 2"

Shoe 1 "Shirt 3 and Shoe 1"
Shirt 3 -
Shoe 2 "Shirt 3 and Shoe 2"

See if you can form a conjecture about the number of items in the shirt column, the number of items in the shoe column and the total combinations in your final column.
• Feb 27th 2010, 09:16 PM
Soroban
Hello, fb280!

Quote:

A computer package comes with two choices of printers and four choices of monitors.
If a store wants to display each combination, how many packages must be displayed?

Let the two printers be: . $P_1,\:P_2$
Let the four monitors be: . $M_1,\:M_2,\:M_3,\:M_4$

$\begin{array}{cccccccccc} &&&&&& * & - & \boxed{M_1} \\ &&&&&& | \\ &&&&&& * & - & \boxed{M_2} \\ &&&&&& | \\ &&& \boxed{P_1} & - & - & * & - & \boxed{M_3} \\ &&& | &&& | \\ &&& | &&& * & - & \boxed{M_4} \\ \circ & - & - & * \\ &&& | &&& * & - & \boxed{M_1} \end{array}$
. - - . . . $\begin{array}{cccccc} | &&& | \\ \boxed{P_2} & - & - & * & - & \boxed{M_2} \\ &&& | \\ &&& * & - & \boxed{M_3} \\ &&& | \\ &&& * & - & \boxed{M_4}\end{array}$

There are 8 possible packages to be displayed.

• Feb 27th 2010, 10:50 PM
fb280
oh, that seems much easier than i thought it was. thanks for the help.