WAEC 2015 Mathematics · Question 9
A letter is selected from the letters of the English alphabet. What is the probability that the letter selected is from the word MATHEMATICS?
Options
- A.
- B.
- C.
- D.
Answer: C.
Explanation written with AI and checked against the answer key
Analyze the question: We pick one letter from the 26 letters of the alphabet. We want the probability that it appears in the word MATHEMATICS. Concept: Probability = (number of favourable outcomes) / (total number of outcomes). Repeated letters in the word count only once, because we are counting distinct letters of the alphabet. Solution: The letters of MATHEMATICS are: M, A, T, H, E, M, A, T, I, C, S Distinct letters: M, A, T, H, E, I, C, S, which gives 8 distinct letters. Total letters in the alphabet = 26 P = 8/26 = 4/13 Check: 8/26 simplifies by dividing both by 2, giving 4/13. Tip: Whenever a question asks about "a letter from a word," first strike out the repeated letters and count only the distinct ones. Many students wrongly count all 11 letters and pick 11/26 (option B), which is the trap here.AI can make mistakes. Report anything that looks wrong.
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