Carcass wrote:
Suppose you flip a fair coin six times. What is the probability that, in six flips, you get at least one head?
(A) 5/8
(B) 13/16
(C) 15/16
(D) 31/32
(E) 63/64
STRATEGY: When it comes to probability questions involving "at least," it's typically best to try using the complement.
That is, P(Event A happening) = 1 - P(Event A not happening)So, here we get: P(getting at least 1 head) = 1 -
P(not getting at least 1 head)What does it mean to
not get at least 1 head? It means getting ZERO heads.
So, we can write: P(getting at least 1 head) = 1 -
P(getting zero heads)P(getting zero heads)P(getting zero heads) = P(1st flip is tails
AND 2nd flip is tails
AND 3rd flip is tails
AND 4th flip is tails
AND 5th flip is tails
AND 6th flip is tails)
= P(1st flip is tails)
x P(2nd flip is tails)
x P(3rd flip is tails)
x P(4th flip is tails)
x P(5th flip is tails)
x P(6th flip is tails)
= 1/2
x 1/2
x 1/2
x 1/2
x 1/2
x 1/2
=
1/64So, P(getting at least 1 head) = 1 -
P(getting zero heads)= 1 -
1/64= 64/64 -
1/64=
63/64Answer: E