To find the probability that a randomly selected reference book is hardcover, follow these steps:
1. Identify the number of hardcover reference books:
- According to the table, there are 10 hardcover reference books.
2. Identify the total number of reference books:
- The table indicates that there are a total of 25 reference books.
3. Calculate the probability:
- Probability is calculated by dividing the number of hardcover reference books by the total number of reference books:
[tex]\[
\text{Probability} = \frac{\text{Number of Hardcover Reference Books}}{\text{Total Number of Reference Books}}
\][/tex]
4. Substitute the values:
[tex]\[
\text{Probability} = \frac{10}{25}
\][/tex]
5. Simplify the fraction (if needed):
[tex]\[
\frac{10}{25} = 0.4
\][/tex]
Thus, the probability that a randomly selected reference book is hardcover is:
[tex]\[
0.4
\][/tex]
Therefore, the correct answer is:
0.4
