Question

Nate made cookies for a bake sale and has tracked his sales by cookie shape.

diamond 5
heart 45
tree 2
cat 38
What is the experimental probability that the next cookie sold will be in the shape of a heart?

Answer 1

1/2

Explanation:

Answer 2

1/2

Explanation:

You want the experimental probability that the next cookie sold will be heart-shaped when Nate's sales so far are the shapes ...

• diamond: 5
• heart: 45
• tree: 2
• cat: 38

Experimental probability

An experimental probability is a statement of the ratio of the outcome of interest to all of the outcomes experienced.

Nate has sold 5+45+2+38 = 90 cookies. Of these, 45 are heart-shaped, so the fraction of all cookies that are heart-shaped is 45/90 = 1/2.

Nate can expect that the next cookie sold will be heart-shaped with probability 1/2.