Question

What are the odds of having a coin land tails up on 4our consecutive tosses of the coin. I took (1/2)^4 and got 1/16 but my teacher counted it wrong is 1/16th right?

Answer 1

"odds" do not have the same meaning as probability

in general the odds in favour of an event is the ratio of the probability of that event happening to the probability of the event not happening.

so you were partly right, the <b>probability</b> of 4 cosecutive tails is 1/15
so the prob. of not getting 4 consecutive tails is 15/16

and the odds in favour of 4 consecutive tails is 1/16:15/16
= 1:15

Answer 2

"so you were partly right, the probability of 4 cosecutive tails is 1/15"
should have said:
so you were partly right, the probability of 4 cosecutive tails is 1/16