Theoretical vs Experimental

Theoretical vs Experimental

By Christine Richmond

Two Volunteers needed!​

​

Theoretical vs Experimental Probability

Types of Probability

There are two types of Probability - Theoretical and Experimental.

Theoretical Probability measures what we would expect to happen based on all of the possible outcomes and those we would like to have happen.

Experimental Probability is the measurement based on data from trials of an experiment, and the number of favorable outcomes during that time.

Multiple Choice

Experimental Probability is:

• What Will happen

• What actually happens

• What should happen

• What I think Happens

Multiple Choice

Theoretical Probability is?

• What Should happen

• What does happen

• What Will Happen

• What I want to Happen

Theoretical Probability

Experimental Probability

Remember:

• Probability is the chance something will happen on a scale from 0 to 1.

  
  

  
  

• 
  

How to read the probability scale:

• Impossible (0%): something cannot occur

• Unlikely: there is a small percentage of occurring

• Even Chance (50%): there is a 50% chance it can occur and 50% it cannot

• Likely: there more of a chance something occurring than not

• Certain (100%): it will happen

What is probability?

• Probability is how likely something will occur.

• Think of probability of the chance something can or cannot happen.

Multiple Choice

Each letter of the word 'Mississippi' is written on an individual card and put in a bag. A card is randomly chosen from the bag. What is the likelihood of a consonant being chosen?

• Very Likely

• Not likely

• Always

• Never

Multiple Choice

What is the Theoretical Probability of not landing on red?

• 25%
• 50%
• 65%
• 66.7%

Multiple Choice

What is the likelihood of flipping heads on a coin?

• impossible

• unlikely

• as likely as unlikely

• likely

Multiple Choice

If an event can occur with a probability of 21/23, then we can say that it ...

• will always occurr

• cannot occur

• is less likely to occur

• is likely to occur

Theoretical Probability

A number cube (a dice) with the numbers 1 through 6 is rolled. Find the given probability.

​

P (number < 2)​

You​ read this as, "Probability of a number less than 2."

​

Theoretical Probability

A number cube (a dice) with the numbers 1 through 6 is rolled. Find the given probability.

​

P (number ≥ 3)​

You​ read this as, "Probability of a number greater than or equal to 3."

​

Multiple Choice

A number cube with the numbers 1 through 6 is rolled. Find the given probability. P(number < 2)

• $$\frac{1}{6}$$  

• $$\frac{2}{6}$$  

• $$\frac{4}{6}$$  

• $$\frac{3}{6}$$  

Multiple Choice

Shannon has a bag of jelly beans. She removed one jelly bean, recording the color, and then replaced it. She repeated the process 44 times and record her results in the table. What is the experimental probability of her selecting a red jelly bean?

Multiple Choice

A bag has 4 green marbles, 3 red, 2 blue and 1 yellow. What is the theoretical probability of pulling a red?

• 3/10

• 3/6

• 1/9

• 1/3

Multiple Choice

Ben has two marbles of the same size in his pocket, a green one and a red one. He puts his hand into his pocket and, without looking, takes out a red marble.

• impossible

• unlikely

• even chance

• likely

• certain

Multiple Choice

Cindy has three marbles of the same size in her pocket, a green, a blue and a red marble. She puts her hand into her pocket and, without looking, takes out a red marble.

• impossible

• unlikely

• even chance

• likely

• certain

Multiple Choice

Leroy has six red marbles of the same size in his pocket. He puts his hand into his pocket and, without looking, takes out a blue marble.

• impossible

• unlikely

• even chance

• likely

• certain

Multiple Choice

Nosipho has ten marbles of the same size in her pocket, 6 white and 4 red marbles. She takes out a white marble when she puts her hand in her pocket without looking.

• impossible

• unlikely

• even chance

• likely

• certain

Multiple Choice

Theoretical probability is based on ___________

• What you have. Without experiments

• your tally. With experiments

Multiple Choice

Experimental probability is based on

_____________

• What you have. Without experiments

• your tally. With experiments