Final answer:
The probability of winning the jackpot on the slot machine is calculated by multiplying the probability of hitting the wild symbol on each independently spinning reel. The correct probability is 1/8192, none of the given options match this result.
Step-by-step explanation:
The probability of winning the jackpot on the slot machine described must consider the configuration and number of wild symbols on each reel. Since each reel spins independently, the probability of hitting the wild symbol on each reel can be calculated separately and then multiplied together to get the overall jackpot probability.
- For reels 1, 2, and 3, there are 2 wild symbols each out of 16 possible stops. So, the probability for each of these reels is 2/16 or 1/8.
- For reel 4, there is only 1 wild symbol out of 16 possible stops. So, the probability is 1/16.
Now, we multiply the probabilities for each reel to find the total probability of winning the jackpot:
(1/8) × (1/8) × (1/8) × (1/16) = 1/8192.
None of the provided options a. 1/4,096 b. 178,192 c. 7/64 d. 7/65,536 match the calculated probability 1/8192. The correct probability of winning the jackpot on this slot machine is 1/8192.