Each letter of the English alphabet is written on a scrap of paper and put in a hat. P(J) = . What type of probability is illustrated and why?


• theoretical; the result is based on the number of possible outcomes
• theoretical; the result is found by repeating an experiment
• experimental; the result is based on the number of possible outcomes
• experimental; the result is found by repeating an experiment

The answer is theoretical; the result is based on the number of possible outcomes. This is because the probability is based on the total number of letters in the alphabet, which is a theoretical calculation. There is no need to repeat an experiment to determine this probability.

The correct answer is: theoretical; the result is based on the number of possible outcomes.

In this scenario, we are considering the probability of selecting a specific letter 'J' from the hat with all the letters of the English alphabet. The probability is determined by dividing the number of favorable outcomes (in this case, one 'J') by the total number of possible outcomes (26 letters). Hence, it is theoretical because it is based on the number of possible outcomes.

The probability scenario described here is an example of theoretical probability. The reason is that the probability of drawing the letter "J" is determined based on the number of possible outcomes. In this case, each letter of the alphabet is written on a scrap of paper and placed in a hat, so there are 26 possible outcomes (one for each letter of the alphabet). The theoretical probability is calculated as the number of favorable outcomes (in this case, the letter "J") divided by the total number of possible outcomes, which gives a numerical result. In contrast, experimental probability involves actually conducting an experiment or trial repeatedly to obtain data and estimate probabilities based on observed outcomes. However, since this scenario doesn't mention repeating an experiment or providing any real data, it falls under the category of theoretical probability.