The city council has four conservative members one of whom i

The city council has four conservative members (one of whom is the mayor) and one liberal member. One member is selected at random to testify.

a) What is the probability the member is liberal?

b) What is the probability the member is conservative?

c) What is the probability the mayor is chosen?

Solution

Total number of city council members = 4 + 1 = 5

Number of conservative members = 4

One of the 4 conservative members is the mayor.

Number of liberal members = 1

a)  The probability that the member is liberal = Number of ways to select liberal member / Number of ways to select a city council member = 1/5 = 0.2

b) The probability that the member is conservative = Number of ways to select a conservative member / Number of ways to select a city council member = 4/5 = 0.8

c) The probability that the mayor is chosen = Number of ways to select a mayor / Number of ways to select a city council member = 1/5 = 0.2