The probability of drawing a red card from a deck of playing cards is

Solution:

• Count the cards: a standard deck has 52 cards. Red cards are the hearts and diamonds suits, each with 13 cards, so there are 13 + 13 = 26 red cards.

• Compute the probability: number of favorable outcomes divided by total outcomes = 26/52 = 1/2.

• Therefore the correct probability is 1/2, which matches the option showing "½".

• Why the other choices are incorrect:

  • 2/18 simplifies to 1/9, which does not equal 1/2.

  • 1/13 equals 4/52, the probability of drawing a card of a specific rank (for example, any Ace), not the probability of drawing any red card.

  • 1/4 equals 13/52, the probability of drawing a card from one suit (for example, hearts). Red cards include two suits, so the probability is twice that, i.e., 26/52 = 1/2.