How Do You Calculate the Probability of Drawing 3 Aces and 1 King from a Deck?

In summary, the probability of drawing 3 aces and 1 king from a deck of 52 well-shuffled cards is calculated by considering the possible positions of the king and the remaining positions for the aces. The correct approach yields a probability of (4/52)(4/51)(3/50)(2/49) for each possible arrangement, resulting in the same answer as the original calculation.
  • #1
Frank69
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0
Hello people. I m new to probability and now I have to give an exam at uni about it. One of the sample question is like this:

Four cards are drawn from a pack of 52 well-shuffled cards. Find the probability that 3 are aces and 1 is a king.The way I see it, it should be like:

A = { (ace)(ace)(ace)(king), (ace)(ace)(king)(ace), (ace)(king)(ace)(ace), (king)(ace)(ace)(ace) }

P(A) = P((ace)(ace)(ace)(king)) + P((ace)(ace)(king)(ace)) + P((ace)(king)(ace)(ace)) + P((king)(ace)(ace)(ace))

Where:
P((ace)(ace)(ace)(king)) = (4/52*3/51*2/50*4/49)
P((ace)(ace)(king)(ace)) = (4/52*3/51*4/50*2/49)
P((ace)(king)(ace)(ace)) = (4/52*4/51*3/50*2/49)
P((king)(ace)(ace)(ace)) = (4/52*4/51*3/50*2/49)

is this correct?

if not, would you show me the proper way to solve such problems?

Sorry for the very basic question, but I m real noob.

Thanks in advance
 
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  • #2
The answer is correct. A slightly clearer approach would be to consider the king first. It can be in any of 4 positions and for each position the probability is 4/52. Then the aces take up the remaining 3 positions with probability (4/51)(3/50)(2/49). Put it all together and you will have the same result you got.
 

1. What is a basic card probability problem?

A basic card probability problem is a type of mathematical problem that involves calculating the likelihood of drawing a specific card from a deck of playing cards. These types of problems typically involve using the principles of probability to determine the chances of drawing a certain card.

2. How do you calculate the probability of drawing a specific card?

The probability of drawing a specific card can be calculated by dividing the number of desired outcomes (drawing the specific card) by the total number of possible outcomes (total number of cards in the deck). This can be represented as a fraction or decimal.

3. What is the difference between theoretical and experimental probability in a basic card probability problem?

Theoretical probability is based on mathematical calculations and assumes that all outcomes are equally likely. Experimental probability is based on actual results from repeated trials and may vary from the theoretical probability due to chance or other factors.

4. How does the number of decks of cards affect the probability in a basic card probability problem?

The number of decks of cards used can affect the probability in a basic card probability problem by changing the total number of cards in the deck and the likelihood of drawing a specific card. Using multiple decks can also change the chances of drawing certain combinations of cards.

5. What is the significance of aces and face cards in a basic card probability problem?

Aces and face cards (jack, queen, king) are significant in a basic card probability problem because they have a higher value or rank than the other cards in the deck. This means that the chances of drawing an ace or face card may be lower than drawing other cards, and thus can affect the overall probability of certain outcomes in the problem.

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