Question

Lin wants to know if flipping a quarter really does have a probability of 1/2 of landing heads up so she flips a quarter 10 times it land heads up 3 times and tails up 7 times has she proven that the probability is not 1/2 explain your reasoning

Answer 1

Answer: The answer is NO. Explained.

Step-by-step explanation:  Given that Lin wants to find out that if flipping a quarter really have a probability of 1/2 of head coming up. She flipped the coin 10 times, out of which heads come up 3 times and tail tail come up 7 times.

But this does not prove that the probability is not 1/2. The question here is about theoretical and experimental probability.

Theoretical probability deals with what we expect to happen. That is, whenever we flip a coin, we know either head will come up or tail, so theoretically there is 50% chance of head coming up and 50% chance of tail coming up. So, here probability will be 1/2.

Experimental probability deals with the actual happening. For example, if we flip a coin 10 times like Lin does, the 3 times head come up and 7 times tail come up. So, experimental probability of head coming up is 3/10, i.e., 30% and tail coming up is 7/10, i.e., 70%.

Thus, she didn't prove the the probability is not 1/2 but she explains the difference between theoretical and experimental probability.