Final answer:
The theoretical probability of the spinner landing on blue is 1/5. The experimental probability, based on the spinner landing on blue 20 out of 85 times, is 4/17. These probabilities highlight the difference between theoretical and experimental outcomes in probability.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question involves comparing the theoretical probability and experimental probability of a spinner landing on a blue section. The spinner has five equal sections, with one being blue. Therefore, the theoretical probability of landing on blue is 1/5, since there is one blue section out of five.
In the experiment, the spinner landed on the blue section 20 out of 85 times. To find the experimental probability, we divide the number of times the spinner landed on blue by the total number of spins, which gives us an experimental probability of 20/85. This fraction can be simplified to 4/17.
To summarize, the theoretical probability is 1/5, while the experimental probability is 4/17. Although they differ, the experimental probability tends to approach the theoretical probability with a larger number of trials, reflecting the law of large numbers.