2016 AMC 8 Problems/Problem 13

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Two different numbers are randomly selected from the set ${ - 2, -1, 0, 3, 4, 5}$ and multiplied together. What is the probability that the product is $0$?

$\textbf{(A) }\dfrac{1}{6}\qquad\textbf{(B) }\dfrac{1}{5}\qquad\textbf{(C) }\dfrac{1}{4}\qquad\textbf{(D) }\dfrac{1}{3}\qquad \textbf{(E) }\dfrac{1}{2}$

Solution

The product can only be $0$ if one of the numbers is 0. Once we chose $0$, there are $5$ ways we can chose the second number, or $6-1$. There are $\dbinom{6}{2}$ ways we can chose $2$ numbers randomly, and that is $15$. So, $\frac{5}{15}=\frac{1}{3}$ so the answer is $\boxed{\textbf{(D)} \, \frac{1}{3}}$

2016 AMC 8 (ProblemsAnswer KeyResources)
Preceded by
Problem 12
Followed by
Problem 14
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Solution 2

There are a total of $36$ possibilities. We want $0$ so one of the multiples is $0$. There are $6$ possibilities where $0$ is chosen for the first number and there are $6$ ways for $0$ to be chosen as the second number. We seek $\frac {6+6}{36}=\frac {1}{3}$