Probability

This article, for students and teachers, is mainly about probability, the mathematical way of looking at random chance and is a shorter version of Taking Chances Extended.

Can you generate a set of random results? Can you fool the random simulator?

Explore the distribution of molecular masses for various hydrocarbons

Investigate the molecular masses in this sequence of molecules and deduce which molecule has been analysed in the mass spectrometer.

What is the chance this pea plant will look like its parents?

If the score is 8-8 do I have more chance of winning if the winner is the first to reach 9 points or the first to reach 10 points?

You have two bags, four red balls and four white balls. You must put all the balls in the bags although you are allowed to have one bag empty. How should you distribute the balls between the two bags so as to make the probability of choosing a red ball as small as possible and what will the probability be in that case?

To win on a scratch card you have to uncover three numbers that add up to more than fifteen. What is the probability of winning a prize?

Given probabilities of taking paths in a graph from each node, use matrix multiplication to find the probability of going from one vertex to another in 2 stages, or 3, or 4 or even 100.