Probability Question - colored balls in 2 bowls - Baye's formula?

AI Thread Summary
The discussion centers on calculating the probability of selecting a red ball from two bowls containing different ratios of red and white balls. The initial calculation for the probability of choosing a red ball was found to be incorrect, with the correct probabilities needing to reflect the actual contents of each bowl. Participants clarified that Bayes' formula is applicable for determining the probability of selecting a specific bowl given a red ball was drawn. The correct probability of drawing a red ball from Bowl #2 is 3/5, not 3/4 as initially stated. Ultimately, the probability that a red ball came from Bowl #1 is 2/5 after correcting the calculations.
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Probability Question -- colored balls in 2 bowls -- Baye's formula?

Bowl #1 contains 2 red balls and 2 white balls
Bowl #2 contains 3 red balls and 2 white ball

one bowl is chosen at random (each is equally likely)

(A) What is the probability of choosing a red ball?

Let R stand for choosing a red ball
B_{#} = Bowel #

P(R) = P(B_{1})P(R|B_{1})+P(B_{2})P(R|B_{2})
P(R) = \frac{1}{2} \frac{1}{2} + \frac{1}{2} + \frac{3}{4} = .625

(B)
P(B_{1}) = P(R)P(B_{1}|R)

I don't know how to calculate P(B_{1}|R). Do I need to use Baye's formula?

Thanks for any help! Hopefully I'm not making this to complicated again lol.
 
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GreenPrint said:
Bowl #1 contains 2 red balls and 2 white balls
Bowl #2 contains 3 red balls and 2 white ball

one bowl is chosen at random (each is equally likely)

(A) What is the probability of choosing a red ball?

Let R stand for choosing a red ball
B_{#} = Bowel #

P(R) = P(B_{1})P(R|B_{1})+P(B_{2})P(R|B_{2})
P(R) = \frac{1}{2} \frac{1}{2} + \frac{1}{2} + \frac{3}{4} = .625

(B)
P(B_{1}) = P(R)P(B_{1}|R)

I don't know how to calculate P(B_{1}|R). Do I need to use Baye's formula?

Thanks for any help! Hopefully I'm not making this to complicated again lol.

I'm not an expert in these things but you got part (A) wrong. Try it again. And for part (B), now it sounds like a good time to use Baye's formula.
 
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Is it just (1/2)(3/4) for part A?
 


GreenPrint said:
Is it just (1/2)(3/4) for part A?

No, no. It's given by exactly the formula you wrote except you've got P(R|B_2) wrong. What is that? It's not 3/4.
 


GreenPrint said:
(B)
What is the actual question for B?
P(B_{1}) = P(R)P(B_{1}|R)
That would not be true in general. P(B_{1} \wedge R) = P(R)P(B_{1}|R), P(B_{1}) = P(R)P(B_{1}|R) + P(\neg R)P(B_{1}|(\neg R)
 


Ok so I figured out my mathematical miscalculation in A and was able to figure out the answer to B (I realized I forgot to post it).

What is that symbol mean?
¬?
 


GreenPrint said:
Bowl #1 contains 2 red balls and 2 white balls
Bowl #2 contains 3 red balls and 2 white ball

one bowl is chosen at random (each is equally likely)

(A) What is the probability of choosing a red ball?

Let R stand for choosing a red ball
B_{#} = Bowel #

P(R) = P(B_{1})P(R|B_{1})+P(B_{2})P(R|B_{2})
P(R) = \frac{1}{2} \frac{1}{2} + \frac{1}{2} + \frac{3}{4} = .625
Surely you don't mean that second "+"?
\frac{1}{2}\frac{1}{4}+ \frac{1}{2}\frac{3}{5}= \frac{1}{8}+ \frac{3}{10}
Ignoring your typo with the "+", the probability that, drawing from the second bowl, you will draw a red ball, is 3/(3+ 2)= 3/5, not 3/4.

(B)
P(B_{1}) = P(R)P(B_{1}|R)
What, exactly, is the question? This is simply a "formula". What are you to do with it?
(And, by the way, an incorrect formula. After having picked a single ball, the probability that it was picked from bowl 1 is P(B_1)= P(R)P(B_1|R)+ P(W)P(B_1|W))

I don't know how to calculate P(B_{1}|R). Do I need to use Baye's formula?
That at least is easy to answer. There are a total of 5 red balls, 2 of them from bowl 1. Given that you picked a red ball, the probability it came from bowl 1 is 2/5.

Thanks for any help! Hopefully I'm not making this to complicated again lol.
 


GreenPrint said:
What is that symbol mean?
¬?

It's a logical 'not'.
 
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