STEM Excellence Series: Empowering the Next Generation
EQUALLY LIKELY
Equally Likely
Definition Of Equally Likely
The outcomes of an experiment are equally likely to occur when the probability of each outcome is equal.
Example of Equally Likely
When you toss a fair coin, you are equally likely to get a head or a tail.
When you roll a fair die, you are equally likely to roll a 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6.
Video Examples: Finite Mathematics - Probabilities, Events and equally likely outcomes
Solved Example on Equally Likely
Ques: Which one of the following best replaces the blank? 'A and B are playing tennis. The event of A or B winning the match is ______________.'
Choices:
A. a likely event
B. an unlikely event
C. an equally likely event
D. none of the above
Correct Answer: C
Solution:
Step 1: Both A and B have equal chances of winning the match.
Step 2: So, it is an equally likely event.
Quick Summary
Equally likely events have the same probability.
Examples include fair coin tosses and fair dice rolls.
Probability of an equally likely event is 1 divided by the total number of outcomes.
\[ P(E_i) = \frac{1}{n}, where n is the total number of equally likely outcomes \]
🍎 Teacher Insights
Use real-world examples like coin tosses and dice rolls to illustrate the concept. Emphasize the importance of fairness for outcomes to be truly equally likely. Discuss scenarios where outcomes are not equally likely to highlight the difference.
🎓 Prerequisites
Basic probability concepts
Understanding of experiments and outcomes
Check Your Knowledge
Q1: Which of the following is an example of equally likely events?
Q2: If you flip a fair coin, what is the probability of getting heads?
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What does it mean for events to be equally likely? A: It means each possible outcome has the same chance of occurring.
Q: How do you calculate the probability of an equally likely event? A: Divide 1 by the total number of possible outcomes.