Can anyone help?

[Frank23]

I am stuck on two questions. Can anyone steer me in the right direction please. Going nuts, brain cell cant cope.

Work out what these letters represent and say which letters should complete this chronological sequence
VAML AE AMM AEA HAV LCA AWPA LGDA ?

A certain number of smarties are put in a bag and you have to pick out five(which you cant see). You do this and they are all orange. The chance of that occuring was exactly 50:50(evens)you are told. How many smarties were in the bag and how many were orange?

[Arabesque]

Smarties - 6 in the bag, 5 orange +one other colour.

[ugly_bob]

Nope.
Smarties = 10 smarties, 9 of which orange

first pick, 9/10 chance
2nd, 8/9
3rd, 7/8
4th, 6/7
5th, 5/6

(9x8x7x6x5)/(10x9x8x7x6)=0.5

[Frank23]

Thank you both,