what is the probability of either a boy or girl being born when the probability of a boy being born equals .50 or 1/2 as does the probability of a girl being born?

Question

anonymous · Answer

50/50

anonymous · Answer

they each have a 50% chance

anonymous · Answer

how?

anonymous · Answer

simple. the probability of a boy being born equals .50 or 1/2 as does the probability of a girl being born, so they each have a 50% chance

anonymous · Answer

do you get it?

anonymous · Answer

yea

anonymous · Answer

awesome

anonymous · Answer

what about for 3 boys?

anonymous · Answer

what do you mean for 3 boys, 3 boys out of what?

anonymous · Answer

for a randomly selected family with 3 children what's the probability of 3 boys ?

anonymous · Answer

50%, if we are using the same probability as before. if there is a 50% chance of a boy and a 50% chance of a girl, then te probability of three boys is 50%

anonymous · Answer

same as if it where 3 girls, 50%

anonymous · Answer

you get it?

zarkon · Answer

the probability of 3 boys is not 50%

anonymous · Answer

how? I thought it would be 1/3 because the family wants 3 children, and all 3 to be boys?

zarkon · Answer

the probability that one has a boy is 1/2 (for each boy).  if the births are independent then the probability of 3 consecutive boys is (1/2)(1/2)(1/2)=1/8

anonymous · Answer

same for 3 girls right? and how about either a boy or a girl?

zarkon · Answer

BBB
BBG
BGB
GBB
BGG
GBG
GGB
GGG


the 8 above are the only possibilities...1/8 are BBB and 1/8 are GGG

anonymous · Answer

what about either a boy or a girl? What should the equation setup look like?

zarkon · Answer

P(all boys)=1/8
P(all girls)=1/8
P(all boys or all girls)=P(all boys)+P(all girls)=1/8+1/8=2/8=1/4

anonymous · Answer

what about neither?

anonymous · Answer

?