Sandy used a virtual coin toss app to show the results of flipping a coin 50 times, 400 times, and 2,000 times. Explain what most likely happened in Sandy's experiment.

Sandy's experimental probability was closest to the theoretical probability in the experiment with 2,000 flips.
Sandy's experimental probability was closest to the theoretical probability in the experiment with 400 flips.
Sandy's experimental probability was closest to the theoretical probability in the experiment with 50 flips.
Sandy's experimental probability was exactly the same as the theoretical probability for all three experiments.

In Sandy's experiment of flipping a virtual coin multiple times, the goal is to compare the experimental probability of getting heads (or tails) with the theoretical probability. The theoretical probability of getting heads in a single coin flip is 0.5 (or 50%).

When considering the results from different numbers of flips (50, 400, and 2,000), we need to recognize the Law of Large Numbers. This law states that as the number of trials increases, the experimental probability will get closer to the theoretical probability.

Let's analyze each scenario:

1. **50 flips**: With only 50 coin flips, there is a higher chance of deviation from the theoretical probability. Random fluctuations can have a larger impact on the results, leading to a greater discrepancy between experimental and theoretical probabilities.

2. **400 flips**: With 400 flips, the number of trials is larger, and the experimental probability should be closer to the theoretical probability compared to 50 flips. However, there can still be some noticeable variation due to random chance.

3. **2,000 flips**: With 2,000 flips, the number of trials is substantial, allowing the experimental probability to be very close to the theoretical probability. The larger sample size reduces the impact of random fluctuations, leading to results that are most likely the closest to the theoretical probability of 0.5.

4. **Exactly the same for all three experiments**: This is highly unlikely. Due to random variation, it's improbable that the experimental probabilities for all three sets of trials would exactly match the theoretical probability.

Therefore, based on the Law of Large Numbers, **Sandy's experimental probability was closest to the theoretical probability in the experiment with 2,000 flips**.

Would you like more details on this topic, or do you have any questions?

Here are 8 related questions for further exploration:

1. What is the Law of Large Numbers and how does it apply to probability experiments?
2. How can we calculate the experimental probability of an event?
3. What is the difference between theoretical probability and experimental probability?
4. How do random fluctuations affect the results of probability experiments with small sample sizes?
5. What are some common misconceptions about probability and randomness?
6. How can we design an experiment to minimize the impact of random variations?
7. Can we always expect the experimental probability to match the theoretical probability exactly?
8. How does increasing the number of trials in an experiment impact the reliability of the results?

**Tip:** Always consider a larger sample size when trying to get results that are closer to the theoretical probability in probability experiments.

Explore Sandy's experiment with flipping a virtual coin 50, 400, and 2,000 times. Learn how experimental probability compares with theoretical probability using the Law of Large Numbers. Discover why larger sample sizes lead to results closer to the theoretical probability of 0.5.

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