Probability Predictions and Simulations

You pick a marble from this bag.

What is the probability you will choose either a black or white marble?

A classroom is arranged with 8 seats in the front row, 10 seats in the middle row, and 12 seats in the back row. The teacher randomly assigns seats to students as they enter the classroom. What is the probability that the first students who enters the classroom will be assigned a seat in the front row?

The questions on a multiple choice test each have 6 answer choices. Which model can be used to simulate randomly selecting the correct answer on a 20 question multiple choice test?

• rolling a six-sided number cube 6 times

• rolling a six-sided number cube 20 times

• spinning a spinner with 4 equal sized sections 4 times

• choosing 1 marble in a bag of 20 different colored marbles

Answer explanation

The model that can be used to simulate randomly selecting the correct answer on a 20 question multiple choice test is rolling a six-sided number cube 20 times.

How could you simulate randomly choosing a place for lunch out of 6 different restaurants?

• flip a coin

• roll a die

• spin a 4-sided spinner

• flip 2 coins

Answer explanation

To simulate randomly choosing a place for lunch out of 6 different restaurants, you can roll a die as it has 6 sides, each representing a different restaurant choice.

Layla has 2 pairs of shoes and 6 pairs of socks. If each pair of socks and each pair of shoes is equally like to be chosen, which is the best simulation to show the probability of choosing any given combination?

• roll a die and flip a coin

• roll a die two times

• flip a coin 6 times

• flip a coin 2 times

Answer explanation

The best simulation to show the probability of choosing any given combination is to roll a die and flip a coin, as each pair of socks and shoes is equally likely to be chosen.

Which is the best way to simulate choosing one student out of 12 to be the class president?

• roll a die and flip a coin

• roll a die

• spin a spinner with 4 sections

• flip a coin

Answer explanation

The best way to simulate choosing one student out of 12 to be the class president is to roll a die and flip a coin, ensuring a random and fair selection process.

Which is the best way to represent answering 25 multiple-choice questions with 4 choices for each answer?

• spin a spinner with four sections 25 times

• roll a die 25 times

• flip a coin 25 times

• roll a die 4 times

Answer explanation

The best way to represent answering 25 multiple-choice questions with 4 choices for each answer is to spin a spinner with four sections 25 times.

P(not A) = 
*Remember to simplify.*

• 6/8

• 3/4

• 2/8

• 1/4

You pick a marble from this bag.
What is the probability you will choose either a black or white marble?

• 3/5

• 9/100

• 1/10

• 2/5

A teacher wants to randomly choose 4 students to answer a series of questions. If there are 20 students in the classroom, describe a model that the teacher could use to simulate choosing these 4 students.

• rolling a number cube 20 times

• spinning a spinner with 20 sections 4 times

• flipping a coin 20 times

• rolling a number cube and flipping a coin 20 times