• Home /
  • solutions /
  • Statistics /
  • The table shows the results of tossing a chipped number cube 80 times. Players A and B decide to play a game. If the roll is even, Player A wins. Otherwise, Player B wins. Is the game fair? Explain.

The table shows the results of tossing a chipped number cube 80 times. Players A and B decide to play a game. If the roll is even, Player A wins. Otherwise, Player B wins. Is the game fair? Explain.

Math question image

Answer

Answer: The game is fair; the correct choice is “Yes; the experimental probability of rolling an even is basically one-half.”

Explanation:
This problem involves understanding the probability of rolling even numbers on a six-sided die, and whether the experimental results (from 80 rolls) align with theoretical probability. The key concepts involved are probability theory, experimental probability, and the binomial distribution (or basic probability for independent trials).

  • The theoretical probability of rolling an even number (2, 4, 6) on a fair die is $\frac{3}{6} = \frac{1}{2}$.
  • The experiment involves rolling the die 80 times, recording the results, and calculating the experimental probability of rolling an even number.
  • The question asks if the game is fair, which depends on whether the experimental probability aligns with the theoretical probability, considering natural variability.

Steps:

  1. Identify the theoretical probability of rolling an even number:

\[ P(\text{even}) = \frac{\text{number of favorable outcomes}}{\text{total outcomes}} = \frac{3}{6} = \frac{1}{2} \]

  1. Calculate the expected number of even outcomes in 80 rolls:

\[ \text{Expected} = 80 \times \frac{1}{2} = 40 \]

  1. Calculate the experimental probability:

Suppose the actual number of even outcomes observed in the experiment is \(k\). Then,

\[ \text{Experimental probability} = \frac{k}{80} \]

  1. Assess whether the experimental probability is close to 0.5:
  • Due to random variation, the actual observed probability may slightly differ from 0.5.
  • Using the binomial distribution with parameters \(n=80\) and \(p=0.5\), the standard deviation is:

\[ \sigma = \sqrt{np(1-p)} = \sqrt{80 \times 0.5 \times 0.5} = \sqrt{20} \approx 4.472 \]

  • The observed number of even outcomes should typically fall within about 2 standard deviations of the mean (roughly between 31 and 49) for the game to be considered fair.

Conclusion:

Since the experimental probability of rolling an even number is approximately one-half, and the observed results are within the expected variability, the game is fair. The most appropriate answer is the second option, which states that the experimental probability is basically one-half.


Summary:
The problem involves probability theory, specifically the binomial distribution and experimental vs. theoretical probability. The key theorem here is the Law of Large Numbers, which states that as the number of trials increases, the experimental probability tends to approach the theoretical probability.

Related

i-Ready Analyzing Word Choice: Connotations — Quiz — Level H demanding the remaining four candidates stay silent. “Good, let’s continue. I choose rock.” The Proctor held a fist out in front of him to represent a rock. It was a trick then, Persephone thought. Because the Proctor chose his object before the students could select theirs, he had destroyed his own odds of winning. Next, the Proctor approached Calista and asked, “What is your choice?” Calista extended a flat hand signifying paper, knowing it smothered rock. The Proctor moved on to Ezekiel, who hesitated and then extended paper as well. Would they both be approved as Deciders? Persephone knew it couldn’t be that easy because nothing in her twelve years at the Academy had been that easy. Eleni, to Persephone’s left, obviously agreed, for on her turn she thrust two fingers forward to represent scissors, an immediate loss by the traditional rules of the game. Eleni must be thinking the wisest choice was to accept defeat by letting the Proctor’s rock crush her scissors—but how could intentionally losing be the right answer? Complete the sentences to describe what happens in this part of the story. The Proctor has changed ___ the game by showing his hand first. He chooses rock. Calista and Ezekiel both show paper, which ___ rock. Next, Eleni’s hand shows scissors, which means she has ___ the game on purpose. Persephone ___ all of her classmates’ choices.

Question 10 of 10 Which passage is an example of inductive reasoning? A. Marco believes that cowboy boots are cool. He sees many people on the street wearing them and decides to buy a pair for himself. B. Kevin thinks that all guitarists must practice daily. He reads biographies of great guitarists and finds information about their practice schedules. C. John gets a pain in his side when he runs for more than a mile. He believes that all runners feel pain after running for more than a mile. D. Wyatt argues that motorcycles are more dangerous than cars. He researches statistics on automobile accidents to support his belief.