Question

Plz help

Alinn flipped a coin 20 times. The coin landed heads up 12 times and tails up 8 times.

Part A: Based on the results, what is the experimental probability of the coin landing heads up? Show your work. (5 points)

Part B: What is the theoretical probability of the coin landing heads up? Show your work. (5 points)

Answer 1

@perl

Answer 2

experimental probability = # favorable / # total

Answer 3

so 12/20 and 8/20

Answer 4

@perl

Answer 5

@Michele_Laino

Answer 6

we have to apply the definition of probability p, namely:
\[\Large p = \frac{{favorable\;cases}}{{possible\;cases}}\]

Answer 7

now, we have 20 possible cases, and 12 favorable cases, so what is p?

Answer 8

0.6

Answer 9

ok! So we can write p in percentage form, and we get 60%

Answer 10

now, in order to find the theoretical probability, we have to keep in mind that, using a coin, we have 1 favorable case and 2 possible cases, since a coin has 2 faces, namely the head face and the tail face, so what is the theoretical probability?

Answer 11

we have to apply the same formula above, namely:
\[\Large p = \frac{{favorable\;cases}}{{possible\;cases}}=...?\]

Answer 12

wouldn't it be the same as before with 12/20?

Answer 13

no, since that is an experimental probability

Answer 14

ok so I'm kinda confused with the theoretical part

Answer 15

the theoretical probability, refers to the coin. Namely a coin has 2 faces, head and tail. So there are two possible outcomes: head or tail. Now we want a head so we have 2 possible cases and 1 favorable case

Answer 16

oh ok

Answer 17

whereas the experimental probability refers to the experiment that we have made. In our case we have got 12 heads (favorable cases) in 20 times (possible cases), and, as we have computed before, the probability is:
12/20

Answer 18

ok

Answer 19

so, what is the theoretical probability?
keep in mind that we have 1 favorable case ( a head) and 2 possible cases (the number of the face of a coin)

Answer 20

faces*

Answer 21

\[\Large p = \frac{{favorable\;cases}}{{possible\;cases}} = ...?\]

Answer 22

0.5

Answer 23

that's right! As usual, we can rewrite that probability in percentage form, and we get:
p=50%

Answer 24

ok