Question

If the racetrack publishes that the odds in favor of a horse winning a race are 5 to 9, what is probability that the horse will not win the race?

Answer 1

I divided 5 by 9 and multiplied it by 100 to get the percentage for the probability the horse will win. I got 55.55%. I subtracted 55.55 from 100 and got 44.45% chance of not winning the race.

Answer 2

Answer: $\dfrac{9}{14}$

Step-by-step explanation:

We know that , In probability the odds for an event is the ratio of the favorable outcomes to the unfavorable outcomes.

We are given that ,

The racetrack publishes that the odds in favor of a horse winning a race are 5 to 9 .

i.e. favorable outcomes for horse winning a race = 5

i.e.  unfavorable outcomes for horse winning a race = 9

Now , Total outcomes = favorable outcomes+  unfavorable outcomes

= 5+9 = 14

Then, the probability that the horse will not win the race$=\dfrac{\text{Unfavorable outcomes}}{\text{Total outcomes}}$

$=\dfrac{9}{14}$

Hence, the probability that the horse will not win the race =$\dfrac{9}{14}$