a student claims that if a fair coin is tossed and comes up heads 5 times in a row, then according to the law of averages the probability of tails on the next toss is greater than the probability of heads. What is your reply?
3 answers
That each toss is independent and the probability of heads on the next toss is 0.5
the probability is that yes it would land on heads.
Believe Damon.
The probability of getting six heads in a row is very small ([1/2]^6 = 1/2 * 1/2 * 1/2 * 1/2 * 1/2 * 1/2). However, once you have tossed 5 heads in a row, the probability of getting a head on the sixth toss is still 1/2 = .5.
I hope this helps a little more.
The probability of getting six heads in a row is very small ([1/2]^6 = 1/2 * 1/2 * 1/2 * 1/2 * 1/2 * 1/2). However, once you have tossed 5 heads in a row, the probability of getting a head on the sixth toss is still 1/2 = .5.
I hope this helps a little more.