Which of the following is not a possible value for a probability?
A. 0.82
B. 0.001
C. [tex]$\frac{1}{16}$[/tex]
D. [tex]$\frac{5}{4}$[/tex]
Answer (2)
A probability must be between 0 and 1.
Check each option to see if it falls within this range.
4 5 is equal to 1.25, which is greater than 1.
Therefore, 4 5 is not a possible value for a probability.
Explanation
Understand the problem and provided data A probability value must be between 0 and 1, inclusive. We are given four values: 0.82, 0.001, 16 1 , and 4 5 . We need to determine which of these values is not a possible value for a probability.
Check each value Let's examine each option:
A. 0.82 is between 0 and 1, so it is a possible probability. B. 0.001 is between 0 and 1, so it is a possible probability. C. 16 1 is equal to 0.0625, which is between 0 and 1, so it is a possible probability. D. 4 5 is equal to 1.25, which is greater than 1, so it is not a possible probability.
Identify the impossible probability The value that is not a possible probability is 4 5 because it is greater than 1.
Final Answer Therefore, the answer is D. 4 5 .
Examples
In probability theory, understanding that probabilities must fall within the range of 0 to 1 is crucial. For instance, if you're analyzing the likelihood of a basketball player making a free throw, you might calculate various probabilities based on their past performance. If your calculations ever yield a probability greater than 1 (or less than 0), it indicates an error in your analysis. This principle applies to many real-world scenarios, from predicting weather patterns to assessing the risk of investment.
In probability, values must be between 0 and 1. The only provided option that is not a valid probability is D. 4 5 since it exceeds 1.
;
