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A player plays a roulette game in a casino by betting on a single number each time. Because the wheel has 38 numbers, the probability that the player will win in a single play is \(1 / 38 .\) Note that each play of the game is independent of all previous plays. a. Find the probability that the player will win for the first time on the 10 th play. b. Find the probability that it takes the player more than 50 plays to win for the first time. c. A gambler claims that because he has 1 chance in 38 of winning each time he plays, he is certain to win at least once if he plays 38 times. Does this sound reasonable to you? Find the probability that he will win at least once in 38 plays.

Short Answer

Expert verified
The results are as follows: a) The probability of the player winning for the first time on the 10th play is \((1 - 1/38)^9 * (1/38)\) b) The probability that it takes more than 50 plays for the first win is \(1 - (1 - (1 - 1/38)^{50})\) c) While the gambler’s claim might sound reasonable at first, actually the true probability of winning at least once in 38 plays is not \(1\), but it is slightly less than \(1\), which is \(1 - (1 - (1 - 1/38)^{38})\). This shows that even if the gambler plays 38 times, he is not guaranteed to win even once.

Step by step solution

01

Finding probability of first win on the 10th play

We use the formula of the geometric distribution which is \( (1 - p)^{k - 1} * p\) to calculate this probability. Here, the probability \(p\) of winning a game is \(1/38\), and the number \(k\) of trials until the first success is 10. So, the probability is \((1 - 1/38)^9 * (1/38) \)
02

Finding probability of it taking more than 50 plays to win

To calculate this, we calculate the cumulative probability of winning within 50 games and subtract this from 1. The cumulative probability function (survival function) for a geometric distribution is \(1 - (1 - (1 - p)^k)\) where the number \(k\) of trials is 50. Therefore, the probability is \(1 - (1 - (1 - 1/38)^{50})\)
03

Testing the gambler’s claim

We start by calculating the probability of not winning at all in 38 games, using the formula \((1 - p)^n\) where \(n\) is number of trials. Then, we subtract this from 1 to obtain the probability of winning at least once in 38 games. Therefore, the probability is \(1 - (1 - (1 - 1/38)^{38})\)

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Key Concepts

These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.

Probability
Probability is a branch of mathematics that measures the likelihood of different outcomes. Imagine you are spinning a roulette wheel with 38 numbers. The probability of winning by betting on one specific number is calculated as the number of successful outcomes, which is 1 (your chosen number), divided by the total possible outcomes, which is 38. This gives us a probability of \( \frac{1}{38} \).

The formula used to find specific probabilities, such as winning on the 10th play for the first time, follows a geometric distribution. In general, the probability for a first success on the \( k \)-th attempt is given by \((1 - p)^{k-1} \times p\), where \(p\) is the probability of success on each trial.

In the context of a roulette game, this signifies how likely it is that a player wins for the first time on a given try. Calculating probabilities like these helps when making predictions in games and in solving real-world problems.
Independent Events
Independent events are situations where the outcome of one event does not affect the outcome of another. When you play a roulette game, each spin of the wheel is independent. This means that previous spins do not influence the outcome of future spins.

For example, if you bet on the same number every time, your chances of winning remain \( \frac{1}{38}\) each spin. This constant probability stems from the assumption of independence, inherent in games like roulette.

Recognizing whether events are independent is crucial in probability calculations because it helps to simplify and break down complex scenarios. By understanding these foundations, you can better predict outcomes in many processes, not just games.

Roulette Game
Roulette is a popular casino game involving a spinning wheel with numbers ranging from 1 to 38. Players place bets on single numbers or groups of numbers, and the outcome of each spin is determined by the number where the ball lands. In this exercise, you focus on betting on a single number.

Winning in roulette is purely based on chance, and each bet is independent. This game illustrates real-life applications of independent events and geometric distribution, where the predicted outcomes are based on known probabilities. This makes roulette an excellent example for studying probability theory.

Although some might claim that a series of losses increases their chance of winning, they overlook the concept of independent events. Always remember, in roulette, each spin starts afresh without influence from previous tries.
Cumulative Distribution Function
The cumulative distribution function (CDF) provides the probability that a variable takes a value less than or equal to a given number. In the context of geometric distribution, the CDF helps calculate the chance that it takes a certain number of attempts or less to achieve the first success.

For instance, if you want to find the probability of winning at least once in 50 spins, you would use the CDF. The calculation involves subtracting the probability of never winning in 50 spins from 1. This process accounts for the accumulation of probabilities over sequential attempts, giving insights into the potential total success.

Computing CDFs is vital in understanding and predicting more extensive outcomes in probability and statistics. It helps encompass not just individual results but rather the entire set of possible outcomes, making it a powerful tool for both theoretical and applied probabilities.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

Powerball is a game of chance that has generated intense interest because of its large jackpots. To play this game, a player selects five different numbers from 1 through 59, and then picks a Powerball number from 1 through \(39 .\) The lottery organization randomly draws 5 different white balls from 59 balls numbered 1 through 59 , and then randomly picks a Powerball number from 1 through \(39 .\) Note that it is possible for the Powerball number to be the same as one of the first five numbers. a. If a player's first five numbers match the numbers on the five white balls drawn by the lottery organization and the player's Powerball number matches the Powerball number drawn by the lottery organization, the player wins the jackpot. Find the probability that a player who buys one ticket will win the jackpot. (Note that the order in which the five white balls are drawn is unimportant.) b. If a player's first five numbers match the numbers on the five white balls drawn by the lottery organization, the player wins about \(\$ 200,000\). Find the probability that a player who buys one ticket will win this prize.

The probability that a randomly selected elementary or secondary school teacher from a city is a female is .68, holds a second job is .38, and is a female and holds a second job is .29. Find the probability that an elementary or secondary school teacher selected at random from this city is a female or holds a second job.

A random sample of 400 college students was asked if college athletes should be paid. The following table gives a two-way classification of the responses. $$ \begin{array}{lcc} \hline & \text { Should Be Paid } & \text { Should Not Be Paid } \\ \hline \text { Student athlete } & 90 & 10 \\ \text { Student nonathlete } & 210 & 90 \\ \hline \end{array} $$ a. If one student is randomly selected from these 400 students, find the probability that this student i. is in favor of paying college athletes ii. favors paying college athletes given that the student selected is a nonathlete iii. is an athlete and favors paying student athletes iv. is a nonathlete \(o r\) is against paying student athletes b. Are the events "student athlete" and "should be paid" independent? Are they mutually exclusive? Explain why or why not.

In how many ways can a sample (without replacement) of 9 items be selected from a population of 20 items?

Find the value of each of the following using the appropriate formula. $$ \begin{array}{llllllllll} 6 ! & 11 ! & (7-2) ! & (15-5) ! & { }_{8} C_{2} & { }_{5} C_{0} & { }_{5} C_{5} & { }_{6} C_{4} & { }_{11} C_{7} & { }_{9} P_{6} & { }_{12} P_{8} \end{array} $$

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