Question

box contains
5

plain pencils and
3

pens. A second box contains
5

color pencils and
5

crayons. One item from each box is chosen at random. What is the probability that a pen from the first box and a crayon from the second box are selected?

Write your answer as a fraction in simplest form.

Answer 1

Take it one box at a time. If 3 out of 5+3, or 3/8 items in the first box is a pen, the probability of choosing it at random is 3/8.
Similarly, 5/10 are crayons in the second box.

You can find the probability of both happening by multiplying those two fractions.