Math Problem!

[Perplexed]

My gf and I have an ongoing argument about the answer to this problem. Let’s say you want to acquire a plant to harvest berries from it. However, that plant needs to be in close proximity to another of the same plant, but of the opposite sex, in order for the female in the pair to produce berries. You can’t determine the sex of each plant, so you decide to bump up the odds by buying three plants and putting them in the same small garden.

What are the odds that you’ll get berries from that group of three plants? You don’t care which plant or plants produce berries; you just want to acquire berries from that group of three plants. What do you think is the answer, and how do you calculate the odds?

 

[SlugSlinger]

Is it a 50% probability that it’s either male/female? Or is one gender more prevalent?

 

[Perplexed]

Is it a 50% probability that it’s either male/female? Or is one gender more prevalent?

It’s a 50% probability. What are the odds that the group of three will contain at least one male AND at least one female?

 

[Catt57]

So let's look at the odds of 3 plants all being male (or female).

Let's assume this species is 1/2 male and 1/2 female. So that's 50% odds of a single plant being male (or female). This would then be true for each plant you add to the mix. To figure the chance of them all being male (or female) you multiply the percent chance. So 50%x50%x50% = 12.5%.

So with 3 plants you have a 12.5% of them all being the same sex. Or for what you are asking, an 87.5% chance that they will reproduce.

 

[Okie4570]

Random draw probability with two possible outcomes with three draws each time.

M=male
F=female


MMM, FMM, MFM, MMF, MFF, FMF, FFM, FFF

So eight possible scenarios where you picked three plants, six of the eight scenarios have males and females, so odds are 6 to 8 that you'll have berries, reduces to 3 to 4, so 75% chance you'll have berries.

 

[RockHopper]

I'm a fan of the kiss principles when performing mathematical equations. 75¢ worth of gas to the grocery store will net 100% chance of berries.

 

[SoonerP226]

WTF? I was promised there would be no math!

 

[cowadle]

there is a high probability of greater than 50 percent that a gopher will eat the roots and kill one plant. a 70 percent chance that a rabbit will collar one of the plants and it will die also. and a 20 percent probability that your neighbors dog will use them as a pee spot and they will die from to much urine. welcome to farming

 

[Shadowrider]

Random draw probability with two possible outcomes with three draws each time.

M=male
F=female


MMM, FMM, MFM, MMF, MFF, FMF, FFM, FFF

So eight possible scenarios where you picked three plants, six of the eight scenarios have males and females, so odds are 6 to 8 that you'll have berries, reduces to 3 to 4, so 75% chance you'll have berries.

You have duplicate sets in there. There's only four possible combinations.

ETA: I see you corrected, reading comprehension, Duh! I'll go sit in the corner now!

 

[AKmoose]

Nowadays they could all be non binary! Or any of the rest of the alphabet followers so no berries for you.