Calculating the Number of Successful Outcomes

Oct 13, 2025 by wbrum.org 134 views

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Introduction

In a class quiz consisting of 5 True/False questions, the correct answers are given as T, T, F, F, and T, in that order. John, a student, answered the questions randomly and is now concerned about his chances of passing the quiz. To pass, he needs to have at least 3 correct answers. In this article, we will explore the probability of John passing the quiz with his random answers.

Understanding the Problem

To calculate the probability of John passing the quiz, we need to consider the total number of possible outcomes and the number of successful outcomes. Since each question has two possible answers (True or False), the total number of possible outcomes for 5 questions is 2^5 = 32.

Calculating the Number of Successful Outcomes

A successful outcome is one in which John answers at least 3 questions correctly. We can calculate the number of successful outcomes by considering the following cases:

John answers exactly 3 questions correctly: This can happen in 10 ways (5C3), where 5C3 represents the number of combinations of 5 items taken 3 at a time.
John answers exactly 4 questions correctly: This can happen in 5 ways (5C4), where 5C4 represents the number of combinations of 5 items taken 4 at a time.
John answers all 5 questions correctly: This can happen in 1 way (5C5), where 5C5 represents the number of combinations of 5 items taken 5 at a time.

Calculating the Probability of Passing the Quiz

To calculate the probability of John passing the quiz, we need to add the number of successful outcomes in each case and divide it by the total number of possible outcomes.

The number of successful outcomes is 10 + 5 + 1 = 16.

The probability of John passing the quiz is 16/32 = 1/2.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the probability of John passing the quiz with his random answers is 1/2 or 50%. This means that John has an equal chance of passing or failing the quiz.

Using a Calculator to Calculate the Probability

John used a calculator to calculate the probability of passing the quiz. To do this, he entered the following formula into his calculator:

P(passing) = (10 + 5 + 1) / 2^5

P(passing) = 16 / 32

P(passing) = 1/2

John's calculator displayed the result as 0.5, which is equivalent to 1/2.

Final Thoughts

In this article, we explored the probability of John passing a class quiz with random answers. We calculated the number of successful outcomes and divided it by the total number of possible outcomes to obtain the probability of passing the quiz. The result showed that John has an equal chance of passing or failing the quiz.

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Introduction

In our previous article, we explored the probability of John passing a class quiz with random answers. We calculated the number of successful outcomes and divided it by the total number of possible outcomes to obtain the probability of passing the quiz. In this article, we will answer some frequently asked questions related to the topic.

Q&A

Q: What is the total number of possible outcomes for 5 True/False questions?

A: The total number of possible outcomes for 5 True/False questions is 2^5 = 32.

Q: How many ways can John answer exactly 3 questions correctly?

A: John can answer exactly 3 questions correctly in 10 ways (5C3), where 5C3 represents the number of combinations of 5 items taken 3 at a time.

Q: How many ways can John answer exactly 4 questions correctly?

A: John can answer exactly 4 questions correctly in 5 ways (5C4), where 5C4 represents the number of combinations of 5 items taken 4 at a time.

Q: How many ways can John answer all 5 questions correctly?

A: John can answer all 5 questions correctly in 1 way (5C5), where 5C5 represents the number of combinations of 5 items taken 5 at a time.

Q: What is the probability of John passing the quiz?

A: The probability of John passing the quiz is 16/32 = 1/2 or 50%.

Q: Why did John use a calculator to calculate the probability of passing the quiz?

A: John used a calculator to calculate the probability of passing the quiz because it is a quick and easy way to perform the calculation.

Q: Can you explain the formula used to calculate the probability of passing the quiz?

A: The formula used to calculate the probability of passing the quiz is:

P(passing) = (10 + 5 + 1) / 2^5

P(passing) = 16 / 32

P(passing) = 1/2

Q: What is the significance of the result?

A: The result shows that John has an equal chance of passing or failing the quiz.

Conclusion

In conclusion, we have answered some frequently asked questions related to the probability of John passing a class quiz with random answers. We hope that this article has provided a better understanding of the topic.

Additional Resources

For more information on probability and statistics, please refer to the following resources:

Final Thoughts

We hope that this article has provided a better understanding of the probability of John passing a class quiz with random answers. If you have any further questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact us.