Three unbiased coins are tossed, what is the probability of getting at least 2…

2023

Three unbiased coins are tossed, what is the probability of getting at least 2 tails ?

  1. A.

    7/6

  2. B.

    2/3

  3. C.

    1/2

  4. D.

    6/8

Attempted by 3 students.

Show answer & explanation

Correct answer: C

Step-by-Step Solution

To find the probability of getting at least 2 tails when tossing three unbiased coins, we first determine the total number of possible outcomes and then identify the favorable ones.

  1. Identify the Sample Space:

    When tossing three coins, each coin has 2 possibilities (Head or Tail). The total number of outcomes is 2*2*2 = 8.

    The outcomes are: {HHH, HHT, HTH, THH, HTT, THT, TTH, TTT}.

  2. Identify Favorable Outcomes:

    "At least 2 tails" means we are looking for outcomes that have either 2 tails or 3 tails.

    • Outcomes with exactly 2 tails: {HTT, THT, TTH}

    • Outcomes with exactly 3 tails: {TTT}

    • Total favorable outcomes = 3 + 1 = 4.

  3. Calculate Probability:

    • Probability = Favorable outcomes / Total outcomes

    • Probability = 4 / 8 = 1/2.

Explore the full course: Amcat Preparation