To determine the sample space for an experiment where a coin is selected from a bag containing a nickel (N), a quarter (Q), and a dime (D) three times with replacement, we can follow these steps:
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Identify the possible outcomes for one selection: Each time we select a coin, we have 3 possible outcomes: N (nickel), Q (quarter), and D (dime).
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Determine the number of selections: We are selecting a coin 3 times.
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Construct the sample space: Since each coin selection is independent and we have 3 outcomes for each of the 3 selections, we can form the sample space by finding all possible combinations of outcomes.
There are \(3^3 = 27\) possible outcomes when selecting a coin 3 times:
- First selection: N, Q, D
- Second selection: N, Q, D
- Third selection: N, Q, D
The sample space can be represented as follows:
- nnn
- nnq
- nnd
- nqn
- nqq
- nqd
- ndn
- ndq
- ndd
- dnn
- dnd
- ddn
- dqq
- dqn
- dqd
- ddq
- qnn
- qnd
- qdn
- qqn
- qqd
- qdq
- qqq
- qdn
- qqd
- qnd
- qnn
Thus, the complete sample space is:
- nnn
- nnq
- nnd
- nqn
- nqq
- nqd
- ndn
- ndq
- ndd
- dnn
- dnd
- ddn
- ddq
- dqn
- dqd
- dqq
- qnn
- qnd
- qdn
- qqn
- qqd
- qdq
- qqq
- qdn
- qqd
- qnd
- qnn
Thus, the sample space includes all the combinations of selecting coins from the bag three times.