Question
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A game involves tossing two coins. A player wins \( \$ 1.00 \) if both tosses result in heads. What should you pay to play this game in order to make it a fair game? Explain your reasoning. You should pay \( \$ \square \) to play this game in order to make it a fair game.

Ask by Love Hilton. in the United States
Jan 23,2025

Real Tutor Solution

Tutor-Verified Answer

Answer

You should pay \$0.25 to play the game to make it fair.

Solution

To determine a fair price for playing the game, we need to calculate the **expected value** of the game. A fair game is one where the expected value is zero, meaning the cost to play equals the expected winnings. Here's the step-by-step reasoning: 1. **Determine the Probability of Winning:** - Since the game involves tossing two fair coins, each coin has two possible outcomes: Heads (H) or Tails (T). - The possible outcomes for two coins are: HH, HT, TH, TT. - Only one of these four outcomes results in both coins being heads (HH). - **Probability of winning (both heads):** \( \frac{1}{4} \) or 25%. 2. **Calculate the Expected Winnings:** - If you win, you receive \$1.00. - **Expected Winnings:** Probability of winning × Amount won = \( \frac{1}{4} \times \$1.00 = \$0.25 \). 3. **Determine the Fair Price to Play:** - To make the game fair, the cost to play should equal the expected winnings. - Therefore, you should pay **\$0.25** to play the game. **Conclusion:** You should pay **\$0.25** to play this game in order to make it a fair game. $\boxed{0.25}$

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Beyond the Answer

In this coin-tossing game, there are four possible outcomes: HH (both heads), HT (heads then tails), TH (tails then heads), and TT (both tails). The winning outcome, HH, occurs with a probability of \( \frac{1}{4} \), while the other outcomes occur with a cumulative probability of \( \frac{3}{4} \). To create a fair game, your expected winnings should equal your cost to play. Thus, if you win \( \$ 1.00 \) with a \( \frac{1}{4} \) chance, your expected value from playing is \( 1 \times \frac{1}{4} = \$0.25 \). Therefore, you should pay \( \$0.25 \) to keep the game fair. To make it even more exciting, consider the concept of the "expected value." In games of chance, it's essential to assess how much you might win or lose on average. Understanding this concept can help you make more informed decisions when playing other games, ensuring that you know when the odds are in your favor or not!

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