Question with probability! Math Geniuses help me and explain why!?
I have 2 friends that want to spin this wheel. There are 6 spots on the wheel. Friend #1 says when he spins it, he wants it to land on spot 1. Friend #2 says when he spins it, he wants it to land on spot #2. What are the odds that they both get what they want when they spin it? Please explain why.
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answers:
Jeffrey K say: (1/6)*(1/6) = 1/36
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Pope say: There are quite a few unstated conditions, which seem to be implied.
If all of the six possible outcomes are equally likely, then they each have probability 1/6. If those outcomes include the numbers 1 and 2, then each of your friends has probability of success 1/6. If those two trials are independent, then the probability of both being successful is the product of the two individual probabilities.
(1/6)(1/6) = 1/36
That would be the probability of both friends having success. The odds are another matter. The word "odds" has several different interpretations, so there is really no point. There above is the probability, subject to those added conditions. Do what you want with that.
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ted s say: for each spot on 1st friend there are 6 choices for the 2nd friend.....thus a total of 36 possibilities....1 / 36 for both to get what they desire
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david say: If it is a 'fair' game ... each number has the same area and the spin is not weighted in some way as to favor a certain number ...
p for 1st friend is 1/6 ... p for 2nd is 1/6
... p both get what they want is 1/6 X 1/6 = 1/36
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billrussell42 say: Depends on the spots, how they are spaced, and the percentage of the circumference each one takes.
IF each spot is actually a sector and takes up 60º, so the 6 sectors are evenly distributed and take up all 360º of the circle... IF...
Then for #1 to get sector 1, the odds are 1/6. For number two to get sector 2, his odds are also 1/6
for both to match IN DIFFERENT SPINS, the odds are 1/36, which is (1/6) x (1/6)
To get both to match in one spin is impossible.
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