There are n sweets in a bag. 6 of them are orange, the rest are yellow. Hannah takes a random sweet, she eats the sweet and repeats again. The probability that hannah eats two orange sweets is 1/3. Show that n2 - n - 90 = 0.

The best way to think approach question is thinking of it like a tree diagram.We know there are n sweets in total. Therefore the probability of eating 1 orange sweet the first time is 6/n.The probability of hannah eating a second orange sweet (baring in mind she's already eaten one) is 5/n-1The probability of Hannah having two sweets is (6/n) x (5/n-1) = 1/3Now we want to simply to get it in the given form30/n2-n = 1/3 (multiply the brackets)n2-n = 90 (multiply by the denominators)n2-n - 90 = 0

SN
Answered by Selina N. Maths tutor

3262 Views

See similar Maths GCSE tutors

Related Maths GCSE answers

All answers ▸

Sam works for £14 per hour. When Sam works more than 8 hours a day, he is paid overtime for each hour he works more than 8 hours at 1½ times his normal rate of pay. Sam worked for 12 hours. Work out the total amount of money Sam earned.


Solve the simultaneous equations; 2x + y = 18; x + 3y = 19.


3y^2 + 10y + 3


Three whole numbers are each rounded to the nearest 10. The sum of the rounded numbers is 70. Work out the maximum possible sum for the original three numbers.


We're here to help

contact us iconContact ustelephone icon+44 (0) 203 773 6020
Facebook logoInstagram logoLinkedIn logo

MyTutor is part of the IXL family of brands:

© 2026 by IXL Learning