55.5k views
5 votes
You take a three-question true or false quiz. You guess on all the questions. What is the probability that you will get a perfect score?

1 Answer

4 votes
The probability that you will guess the first answer correctly = 1/2 = 0.5
The probability that you will guess the second answer correctly = 1/2 = 0.5
The probability that you will guess the third answer correctly = 1/2 = 0.5

The probability that you will guess all three answers correctly is

(0.5) x (0.5) x (0.5) = 0.125 = 12.5% .

============================

Here are all the ways your answer sheet could wind up:
(R = a right answer. W = a wrong answer.)

W W W
W W R
W R W
W R R
R W W
R W R
R R W
R R R

Number of possible ways to score 0 right out of 3 questions: 1 way
Number of possible ways to score 1 right out of 3 questions: 3 ways
Number of possible ways to score 2 right out of 3 questions: 3 ways
Number of possible ways to score 3 right out of 3 questions: 1 way

Statistically, if your answers are all pure guesses,
then on the average, the score you expect is

(0 + 33-1/3 + 33-1/3 + 33-1/3 + 66-2/3 + 66-2/3 + 66-2/3 + 100) / 8

= 400 / 8

= 50% .

If you're happy with that score, great !
Go to the movies the night before the test,
and start guessing.


User Adnan Ahmed
by
8.8k points