# 3.8 Understanding the context and vocabulary of probability

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## Understanding the context and vocabulary of probability

ACTIVITY 1

To understand the context and vocabulary of probability

[LO 11.2, 5.1, 5.6]

1 The following very ordinary statements all deal with probability – but they are not all perfectly accurate. With your partner, study them and decide what is left unsaid, or what information you need to be able to evaluate them. Write down the results of your discussion.

For example : “The sun will come up tomorrow morning” really means: “If I go by the fact that the sun has come up every morning of my life, I am very certain that it will happen again tomorrow morning.”

1.1 If I toss a coin, there is a 50:50 chance that it will land tails up.

1.2 Kevin is certain to phone me tonight.

1.3 It is virtually impossible to win the lottery.

1.4 If you have a positive HIV test, then you will die of AIDS.

1.5 You are more likely to die of a spider-bite than of a lightning strike.

1.6 If you are told that every raffle ticket has two numbers, you have a double chance to win.

1.7 If you don’t play the Lotto, you are certain not to win.

1.8 In a room of 24 people, you are likely to find two people with the same birthday.

1.9 There is a 25% chance of rain tomorrow.

1.10 You are as likely to get a three as a four when you throw a die.

2 Refer to the following scale

• The likelihood of something happening must lie somewhere along this line of probabilities. Nothing can be less likely than 0%, and nothing can be more likely than 100%. If you throw an ordinary six-sided die, then it is certain (meaning 100% on the above scale) that the number it shows will be either 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6. It is impossible (0%) that it will show a 7. We can’t always be sure exactly where a certain probability lies, but in some cases the probability can be worked out exactly.
• Write down at which percentage of the scale above each of the following statements falls; afterwards discuss your answers with your partner.

2.1 I will throw a six with an ordinary die.

2.2 If you pick a Smartie with your eyes closed, it will be a red one.

2.3 I will visit a friend next weekend.

2.4 The numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 are equally likely from throwing a die.

2.5 I will meet the president of South Africa someday.

2.6 I will stay the same height for the next year.

2.7 I will get a cold next winter.

2.8 I will be the president of South Africa someday.

• How was the quality of my work now?
• Here is the same scale with other values:

• These same probabilities are often written as a simplified fraction. Note that the line goes from 0 (impossible) to 1 (certain). We can’t have probabilities that are greater than 1 – nothing can be more likely than absolutely certain! In other words, these probabilities can’t be fractions with a larger numerator than denominator.
• Let’s look at the die again to make it clear how it works. The dice can show one of six numbers, but the chance that it will be a six is only one out of six chances. Look at it this way: if six friends throw one dice, and each chooses a different number from 1 to 6, then it is certain that one will be right! So, each of them has only 1 of the 6 chances to be right. The fraction (the probability) is $\frac{1}{6}$ , which lies between 10% and 20% on the scale.

where we get a research paper on Nano chemistry....?
what are the products of Nano chemistry?
There are lots of products of nano chemistry... Like nano coatings.....carbon fiber.. And lots of others..
learn
Even nanotechnology is pretty much all about chemistry... Its the chemistry on quantum or atomic level
learn
da
no nanotechnology is also a part of physics and maths it requires angle formulas and some pressure regarding concepts
Bhagvanji
hey
Giriraj
Preparation and Applications of Nanomaterial for Drug Delivery
revolt
da
Application of nanotechnology in medicine
what is variations in raman spectra for nanomaterials
I only see partial conversation and what's the question here!
what about nanotechnology for water purification
please someone correct me if I'm wrong but I think one can use nanoparticles, specially silver nanoparticles for water treatment.
Damian
yes that's correct
Professor
I think
Professor
Nasa has use it in the 60's, copper as water purification in the moon travel.
Alexandre
nanocopper obvius
Alexandre
what is the stm
is there industrial application of fullrenes. What is the method to prepare fullrene on large scale.?
Rafiq
industrial application...? mmm I think on the medical side as drug carrier, but you should go deeper on your research, I may be wrong
Damian
How we are making nano material?
what is a peer
What is meant by 'nano scale'?
What is STMs full form?
LITNING
scanning tunneling microscope
Sahil
how nano science is used for hydrophobicity
Santosh
Do u think that Graphene and Fullrene fiber can be used to make Air Plane body structure the lightest and strongest. Rafiq
Rafiq
what is differents between GO and RGO?
Mahi
what is simplest way to understand the applications of nano robots used to detect the cancer affected cell of human body.? How this robot is carried to required site of body cell.? what will be the carrier material and how can be detected that correct delivery of drug is done Rafiq
Rafiq
if virus is killing to make ARTIFICIAL DNA OF GRAPHENE FOR KILLED THE VIRUS .THIS IS OUR ASSUMPTION
Anam
analytical skills graphene is prepared to kill any type viruses .
Anam
Any one who tell me about Preparation and application of Nanomaterial for drug Delivery
Hafiz
what is Nano technology ?
write examples of Nano molecule?
Bob
The nanotechnology is as new science, to scale nanometric
brayan
nanotechnology is the study, desing, synthesis, manipulation and application of materials and functional systems through control of matter at nanoscale
Damian
Is there any normative that regulates the use of silver nanoparticles?
what king of growth are you checking .?
Renato
What fields keep nano created devices from performing or assimulating ? Magnetic fields ? Are do they assimilate ?
why we need to study biomolecules, molecular biology in nanotechnology?
?
Kyle
yes I'm doing my masters in nanotechnology, we are being studying all these domains as well..
why?
what school?
Kyle
biomolecules are e building blocks of every organics and inorganic materials.
Joe
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