#Q66: Probability of selecting a wardrobe

Suppose Charlie has 3 pairs of shoes, 4 different coats, and 2 different pants to wear in his wardrobe. Of those items, Charlie has exactly one pair of white shoes, exactly one black coat, and exactly one pair of khaki pants. If Charlie selects each item of his wardrobe at random, what is the probability that he will wear the white shoes, black coat, and khaki pants?

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ANSWER

This question tests our understanding of simple probability and statistics, a nightmare for some, but generally speaking it is straightforward.

When solving any probability-based questions it is best to first get the total number of possible outcomes and then the likelihood of your desired outcome. In this case, the total number of possible outcomes is found by simple multiplication: 3 pairs of shoes x 4 coats x 2 pants = 24 choices.

Finally, since Charlie only has 1 pair of everything he wants, there is only 1 of the 24 choices that satisfies his goals. So, the final probability is 1/24.