The experimental probability that the next student to respond likes Hamlet best is 1/6.
Step-by-step explanation:
The student is asking about the experimental probability that the next student will favor Hamlet as their best-liked Shakespeare play, based on the preferences previously recorded by the English teacher. To calculate experimental probability, you use the formula:
P(Event) = (Number of times the event occurred) / (Total number of trials)
In this case, the event is a student preferring Hamlet, which occurred 2 times out of the total 12 responses (2 for Hamlet, 8 for Twelfth Night, and 2 for A Midsummer Night's Dream).
Thus, the experimental probability, P(Hamlet), is:
P(Hamlet) = 2 / 12
When simplified, this fraction becomes:
P(Hamlet) = 1 / 6