Counting

Outcomes
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Objectives:
(1) To develop fluency with counting
strategies to determine the sample
space for an event.

Essential Questions:
(1) How can I construct and use a
frequency table (a.k.a. tree diagram)?
(2) How can I use the Fundamental
Counting Principle to find the number
of outcomes?
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Have you ever seen or heard the
Subway or Starbucks advertising
campaigns where they talk about the
10,000 different combinations of ways
to order a sub or drink?
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Have you ever seen or heard the
Subway or Starbucks advertising
campaigns where they talk about the
10,000 different combinations of ways
to order a sub or drink?
When companies like these make
these claims they are using all the
different condiments and ways to
serve a drink.
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- These companies can use (2) ideas
related to combinations to make these
claims:

(1) TREE DIAGRAMS

(2) THE FUNDAMENTAL

COUNTING PRINCIPLE
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(1) TREE DIAGRAMS

A tree diagram is a diagram used to show

the total number of possible outcomes in
a probability experiment.
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(2) THE FUNDAMENTAL

COUNTING PRINCIPLE

The Fundamental Counting Principle uses

multiplication of the number of ways each
event in an experiment can occur to find
the number of possible outcomes in a
sample space.
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Example 1: Tree Diagrams.
A new polo shirt is released in 4 different
colors and 5 different sizes. How many
different color and size combinations are
available to the public?

Colors – (Red, Blue, Green, Yellow)

Styles – (S, M, L, XL, XXL)
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Example 1: Tree Diagrams.
Answer.
Red Blue Green Yellow

S M L XL XXL S M L XL XXL

S M L XL XXL S M L XL XXL

There are 20 different combinations.

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Example 1: The Fundamental Counting
Principle.
A new polo shirt is released in 4 different
colors and 5 different sizes. How many
different color and size combinations are
available to the public?

Colors – (Red, Blue, Green, Yellow)

Styles – (S, M, L, XL, XXL)
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Example 1: The Fundamental Counting
Principle.
Answer.

Number of Number of Number of

Possible Styles Possible Sizes Possible Comb.

4 x 5 = 20
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 Tree Diagrams and The Fundamental
Counting Principle are two different
algorithms for finding sample space of
a probability problem.

 However, tree diagrams work better

for some problems and the
fundamental counting principle works
better for other problems.
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Example 2: Tree Diagram.
Tamara spins a spinner two
times. What is her probability
of spinning a green on the
first spin and a blue on the second spin?
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Example 2: Tree Diagram.
Tamara spins a spinner two
times. What is her probability
of spinning a green on the
first spin and a blue on the second spin?
Green Blue

Green Blue Green Blue

Only one outcome has green then blue, and there are 4
possibilities…so the P(green, blue) = ¼ or .25 or 25%
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Example 3: The Fundamental Counting
Principle.
If a lottery game is made up of three
digits from 0 to 9, what is the
probability of winning the game?
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Example 3: The Fundamental Counting
Principle.
If a lottery game is made up of three digits
from 0 to 9, what is the probability of
winning if you buy 1 ticket?
# of Possible # of Possible # of Possible # of Possible
Digits Digits Digits Outcomes

10 x 10 x 10 = 1000

Because there are 1000 different possibilities, buying one

ticket gives you a 1/1000 probability or 0.001 or 0.1%
chance of winning.
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Guided Practice: Determine the probability
for each problem.
(1) How many outfits are possible from a pair
of jean or khaki shorts and a choice of
yellow, white, or blue shirt?

(2) Scott has 5 shirts, 3 pairs of pants, and 4

pairs of socks. How many different outfits
can Scott choose with a shirt, pair of
pants, and pair of socks?
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Guided Practice: Determine the probability
for each problem.

(1) Jean Shorts Khaki Shorts

Yellow White Blue Yellow White Blue

JSYS1 JSWS2 JSBS3 KSYS4 KSWS5 KSBS6

(2) Number Number Number Number

Of Shirts Of Pants Of Socks Of Outfits

5 x 3 x 4 = 60
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Real World Example: The Fundamental
Counting Principle.
How many seven digit telephone numbers
can be made up using the digits 0-9,
without repetition?
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Real World Example: The Fundamental
Counting Principle.
How many seven digit telephone numbers
can be made up using the digits 0-9,
without repetition?

Answer: 604,800 different numbers

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Real World Example: Tree Diagram.
Kaitlyn tosses a coin 3 times. Draw a
picture showing the possible outcomes.
What is the probability of getting at
least 2 tails?
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Real World Example: Tree Diagram.
Kaitlyn tosses a coin 3 times. Draw a
picture showing the possible outcomes.
What is the probability of getting at
least 2 tails?

Answer: P(at least 2 tails) = ½

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Summary:
- A tree diagram is used to show all of the
possible outcomes, or sample space, in a
probability experiment.
- The fundamental counting principle can
be used to count the number of possible
outcomes given an event that can happen
in some number of ways followed by
another event that can happen in some
number of different ways.
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Summary: So when should I use a tree
diagram or the fundamental counting
principle?
- A tree diagram is used to:
(1) show sample space;
(2) count the number of preferred outcomes.
- The fundamental counting principle can
be used to:
(1) count the total number of outcomes.
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Homework:
-