Homework Help: algebra I

Posted by Joanne on Thursday, February 7, 2008 at 5:43pm.

If you toss a coin, the probability of gettig heads is 1/2. If you toss a coin 2 times. the probability of getting heds each time is 1/2*1/2 or (1/2)^2.

-Write an expression to represent the probability of tossing a coin 'n' times and getting 'n' heads.
-Express your answer to the question above as a power of 2.

At first I thought the expression was (1/2)^n but then when I look at it again, it seems wrong.

algebra I - DanH, Thursday, February 7, 2008 at 5:59pm
It is right!!
algebra I - Joanne, Thursday, February 7, 2008 at 6:17pm
Oh okay. Then for the second problem, would it be (1/2)^2?
algebra I - DanH, Thursday, February 7, 2008 at 6:46pm
I am sorry, but the second part of the problem "express your answer to the question as power of 2" is confusing to me. Certainly, if you flip the coin TWICE, then it's a power of 2, as you said, but if you flip it N times, I don't know you can express this as a power of 2.
- algebra I - Joanne, Thursday, February 7, 2008 at 6:56pm
  they mean that n= n number of times in the equations
  
  (1/2)^n
  
  but the product is not corresct if u replce an exponent of 2 for the n...
  
  the answer is said to be 2^-n
- algebra I - DanH, Thursday, February 7, 2008 at 7:12pm
  Oh...ok, of course...
  
  2^-n is the same as (1/2)^n.

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