Question
Which event is least likely to occur?
Answer
Rolling a number less than 4 on a eight-sided die, numbered from 1 to 8 .
Spinning a spinner divided into four equal-sized sections colored
red/green/yellow/blue and landing on red or yellow or green or blue.
Winning a raffle that sold a total of 100 tickets, if you buy 74 tickets.
Reaching into a bag full of 7 strawberry chews and 73 cherry chews
without looking and pulling out a strawberry chew.

When rolling an eight-sided die, you have a 3 out of 8 chance to roll less than 4 (the numbers 1, 2, and 3). That’s a pretty decent probability! On the other hand, when you spin a spinner divided into four equal sections, you’ve got a 100% chance of landing on one of the colors since there are no other options. Now, snagging a 74 out of 100 raffle tickets gives you a whopping 74% chance of winning, so you’re almost guaranteed to win. Finally, reaching into a bag dominated by cherry chews with only 7 strawberry ones gives a mere 7% chance of pulling out a strawberry chew—definitely the least likely event among the options!

This really shines a light on how probabilities can work in your favor or against you, depending on the setup. The dramatic difference in chances among these scenarios showcases the importance of understanding how odds function, whether you’re placing bets or just having fun with probability games. So next time you’re rolling the dice or spinning the wheel, remember—knowledge is power!