Which of the following experiments have equally likely outcomes? Explain.
(i) A driver attempts to start a The car starts or does not start.
(ii) A player attempts to shoot a She/he shoots or misses the shot.
(iii) A trial is made to answer a true-false The answer is right or wrong.
(iv) A baby is It is a boy or a girl.
Answer:
(i) A driver attempts to start a car. The car starts or does not start.
- The outcomes are not equally likely because the chance of the car starting or not depends on several factors, such as the car’s condition, the driver’s experience, and external conditions.
(ii) A player attempts to shoot a basketball. She/he shoots or misses the shot.
- The outcomes are not equally likely because the likelihood of making or missing the shot depends on the player’s skill, the position, and other factors such as defense.
(iii) A trial is made to answer a true-false question. The answer is right or wrong.
- The outcomes are equally likely when guessing randomly, as the probability of being right or wrong is 50% for each outcome.
(iv) A baby is born. It is a boy or a girl.
- The outcomes are equally likely, with the probability of having a boy or a girl being approximately 50% each in most natural births.