Succession in Randomia

Stage: 5 Challenge Level: Challenge Level:1

You can try an experiment to test this method but you will need to repeat the trials many times to reach any convincing conclusion. This would be a good class project.

A tree diagram will help you to analyse what happens. Try calculating the probabilities for 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 ... tosses and see if you can identify a pattern emerging.

You could try to calculate the final probabilities. Theoretically the coin tossing can go on for ever so you will need to know a bit about summing an infinite series.


Published July 2009,August 2009.