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. After having so many daughters, a boy is almost a sure thing.
B) No. The probability of a son is unaffected by the sex of the previous children.
C) No. It is more likely that Mr. and Mrs. Jones will continue to produce girls.
D) Yes. The greater the number of girls a couple has had, the greater the likelihood that the next will be a boy.