Mr and Mrs

Multiple Choice

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