Four persons are chosen at random from a group of 3 men, 2 women and 4 children. The chance that exactly 2 of them are children, is
Aptitude
Probability
Difficulty: Medium
Choose an option
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A$\frac{1}{9}$
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B$\frac{1}{5}$
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C$\frac{1}{12}$
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D$\frac{10}{21}$
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ENone of these
Answer
Correct Answer: $\frac{10}{21}$
Explanation
### Concept & Logic
To find the probability of exactly 2 children being chosen out of 4 people, we must select 2 children from the available children and 2 other people (adults) from the remaining group.
$$ P = \frac{\text{Ways to choose 2 children} \times \text{Ways to choose 2 adults}}{\text{Total ways to choose 4 people}} $$
### Step-by-Step Solution
* **Group composition:** 3 men + 2 women + 4 children = 9 persons total.
* **Adults (men + women):** $3 + 2 = 5$.
* **Total ways to choose 4 persons from 9:** ${}^{9}C_4 = \frac{9 \times 8 \times 7 \times 6}{4 \times 3 \times 2 \times 1} = 126$.
* **Ways to choose exactly 2 children (out of 4):** ${}^{4}C_2 = \frac{4 \times 3}{2} = 6$.
* **Ways to choose the other 2 persons from the 5 adults:** ${}^{5}C_2 = \frac{5 \times 4}{2} = 10$.
* **Total favorable ways:** $6 \times 10 = 60$.
* **Probability:** $\frac{60}{126}$.
* Divide numerator and denominator by 6 to simplify: $\frac{10}{21}$.
### Exam Strategy & Shortcut
Recognize that "exactly 2 children" implies the other 2 chosen must NOT be children. Grouping the men and women together as a single "non-children" category simplifies the problem, avoiding the need to calculate separate scenarios (e.g., 2 children + 1 man + 1 woman).
### Common Pitfall
Calculating the probability of choosing 2 children but forgetting to account for the remaining 2 people needed to complete the group of 4. You must select the full group to satisfy the denominator's condition.
### Final Answer
Therefore, the correct answer is **$\frac{10}{21}$**.