Mr. and Mrs. Jones have five daughters. Hoping for a son, they decide to have a sixth child, reasoning that a boy is long overdue. Is their reasoning correct, and why?
A) Yes - the greater the number of girls a couple has had, the greater the likelihood that the next will be a boy
B) Yes - after having so many daughters, a boy is almost a sure thing
C) No - it is more likely that Mr. and Mrs. Jones will continue to produce girls
D) No - the probability of a son is unaffected by the sex of the previous children

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The probability of having a boy or a girl is unaffected by the sex of the previous children. Each child has an equal chance of being either gender. Therefore, Mr. and Mrs. Jones' previous children do not increase or decrease the likelihood of them having a boy in their next pregnancy.

Mr and Mrs