Final answer:
Probability is the likelihood or chance that an event will occur, which is true. It uses mathematical calculation to predict the outcome of an event based on the number of successes over total trials. Probability is applied in various practical fields such as genetics, finance, and weather forecasting. The given statement is 1) true.
Step-by-step explanation:
Probability is indeed the likelihood or chance that a certain event will occur, so the correct answer to the student's question is 1) True. To understand the concept of probability, consider the example of tossing a coin. When you toss a coin, there is a 50 percent chance of getting a head because a coin has two sides - heads and tails - with each side equally likely to turn up.
Each possible outcome of a fair coin toss is an example of an event with equal probability. If an experiment, like tossing a die, has outcomes that are equally likely, such as rolling a 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6, each has an equal chance or probability of occurring. In genetics, probability can be used to predict the chance of gametes and offspring having certain alleles, as was demonstrated by Mendel in his plant experiments.
Probability is calculated as the number of successes over the total number of trials. The theoretical probability is what we expect to happen, whereas the empirical probability is based on actual results from an experiment, such as flipping a coin a large number of times. This mathematical concept is widely used in various fields, including games of chance, weather prediction, medicine, and finance.