Math Problem Statement
An unbiased coin is tossed 3 times. What is the probability of obtaining two heads (exactly)? Small step for 2 marks in exam
Solution
To calculate the probability of obtaining exactly two heads when tossing an unbiased coin three times, follow these steps:
Step 1: Identify all possible outcomes
When you toss a coin 3 times, each toss has 2 possible outcomes: heads (H) or tails (T). Therefore, the total number of possible outcomes for 3 tosses is: The possible outcomes are:
Step 2: Count favorable outcomes
We are interested in the outcomes with exactly 2 heads. The favorable outcomes are: So, there are 3 favorable outcomes.
Step 3: Calculate the probability
The probability of obtaining exactly 2 heads is the ratio of favorable outcomes to total outcomes:
Final Answer:
The probability of obtaining exactly two heads when an unbiased coin is tossed 3 times is:
Would you like further clarification or more details on probability questions?
Here are some related questions to explore:
- What is the probability of obtaining no heads in 3 tosses?
- How do you calculate the probability of getting exactly 1 head?
- What is the probability of obtaining 3 heads in 3 tosses?
- How can you generalize this problem for tosses?
- What is the formula for the probability of obtaining exactly heads in tosses?
Tip: Remember, for binomial probability, the formula is: Where is the binomial coefficient!
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Math Problem Analysis
Mathematical Concepts
Probability
Binomial Distribution
Formulas
P(k heads) = (n choose k) * (1/2)^n
Theorems
Binomial probability theorem
Suitable Grade Level
Grades 7-9
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