Question

you donate 8 baseballs to a local baseball team. your uncle donates 12 baseballs. if a total of 50 baseballs are donated, what is the probability that the first pitch of the season uses one of your baseballs or one of your uncles baseballs?
the probability is
(simplify your answer)

Explanation:

Step1: Calculate the total number of favorable baseballs

The number of baseballs you donate is \(8\), and the number your uncle donates is \(12\). So the total number of favorable baseballs (yours or your uncle's) is \(8 + 12=20\).

Step2: Use the probability formula

The probability \(P\) of an event is given by \(P=\frac{\text{Number of favorable outcomes}}{\text{Total number of outcomes}}\). Here, the total number of outcomes (total baseballs donated) is \(n = 50\), and the number of favorable outcomes \(m=20\). So \(P=\frac{20}{50}\).

Step3: Simplify the fraction

Simplify \(\frac{20}{50}\) by dividing both the numerator and the denominator by their greatest - common divisor. The GCD of \(20\) and \(50\) is \(10\). So \(\frac{20\div10}{50\div10}=\frac{2}{5}\).

Answer:

\(\frac{2}{5}\)