Question

What is the probability of flipping a coin and it coming up heads four times in a row

Answer 1

In a single toss, the probability that the result of the toss is head is 1/2:

`P_1 (head) = (1)/(2)`

For 2 tosses in a row, the probability that the result is head in both tosses is

`P_2 = P_1 \cdot P_1 = ( (1)/(2) )( (1)/(2) )= (1)/(4)`

If we continue, we find that the probability to have 4 heads in 4 consecutive tosses is given by

`P_4 = ( P_1 (head) )^4 = ( (1)/(2) )^4 = (1)/(16)`