Difficulty: Easy
Correct Answer: 1/5
Explanation:
Introduction / Context:
This question is a direct application of basic probability in a simple selection situation. A manager must choose exactly one person from a group of five employees who all apply for leave on the same day. We are asked to find the probability that a specific employee, Laxmipriya, is the one whose request is approved.
Given Data / Assumptions:
Concept / Approach:
This is a uniform probability model. When all outcomes are equally likely, the probability of a particular individual being chosen is 1 divided by the total number of individuals. There is no complex counting or conditional reasoning here, just a simple ratio of one favourable case to the total number of possible cases.
Step-by-Step Solution:
Total number of possible approvals = 5, one for each employee.
Only one of these outcomes is favourable, namely the outcome where Laxmipriya is selected.
Therefore the number of favourable outcomes = 1.
Required probability = favourable outcomes / total outcomes = 1 / 5.
Verification / Alternative check:
We can think of the selection as picking one name from a box containing five slips, each with a different name. Because every slip is equally likely to be picked, each person has a probability of 1 / 5 of being chosen. This matches the calculation and shows the reasoning is consistent with everyday intuition about fairness.
Why Other Options Are Wrong:
4/5 would suggest that Laxmipriya is almost certain to be chosen, which contradicts the equal chance assumption.
1/4 would correspond to a situation with four employees instead of five.
1/2 would mean there are only two equally likely outcomes, which is not true here.
Common Pitfalls:
A common mistake is to misinterpret the phrase accepts only one employees leave request as implying some extra condition that changes the probabilities. In fact, unless additional information is given about preferences or priorities, the natural assumption is that all employees are equally likely to be chosen. Staying close to this assumption keeps the reasoning straightforward.
Final Answer:
The probability that the manager approves the leave request of Laxmipriya is 1/5.
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