CK-12 Basic Probability and Statistics - A Short Course

(Marvins-Underground-K-12) #1

3.1. Discrete Random Variables http://www.ck12.org


Now we just divide the numerator by the denominator.


P( 1 head) =

3


8


Remember:


Possible outcomes= 2 nwheren=number of tosses.


Here we have 3 tosses. Therefore,


Possible outcomes= 2 n


Possible outcomes= 23


Possible outcomes= 2 × 2 × 2


Possible outcomes= 8


Note:Thefactorial function (symbol: !)just means to multiply a series of descending natural numbers.


Examples:


4!= 4 × 3 × 2 × 1 = 24


7!= 7 × 6 × 5 × 4 × 3 × 2 × 1 = 5040


1!= 1


Note: It is generally agreed that 0!=1. It may seem funny that multiplying no numbers together gets you 1, but it
helps simplify a lot of equations.


Example 3:A coin is tossed 4 times. What are the possible outcomes? What is the probability of getting one head?


Solution:

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