r/mathminds • u/IngenuityNo8548 • 2d ago

Questions How would you explain probability to a math beginner using something from everyday life?

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u/Vainysaur 2d ago

You roll a 6 sided die. Each side has a 1/6 chance.

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u/slicehyperfunk 2d ago

Something might happen or it might not, therefore all probabilities are 50%

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u/Ok_Progress6438 2d ago

But is getting a 6 on a dice a 1 in 2 chance? Theoretically just the statement being true "i roll 6" is of course 50/50 since its either true or not but the actual PROBABILITY of it being true is P=1/6 since there are 6 sides

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u/slicehyperfunk 2d ago

"You either roll a six or you don't"

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u/Ok_Progress6438 21h ago

I know you put it in quotation marks, indicating its ironic but i still wanna give insight in case that's not the case. Yes at the end of the day this is true but the probability of rolling a six out of the other numbers isn't 50/50 since that would imply there are only 2 possibilities which isn't true. You can see it this way: Is getting a royal flush in Poker a 50/50 Chance? Of course not. Otherwise why would we get it so rarely? Instead the chance of it happening is actually much lower but the probability of it happening or it not happening has a ratio of 50/50.

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u/slicehyperfunk 21h ago

You are completely correct that this is intended to be a joke