Calculating Probability of Receiving $1 from Multiple People

  • Thread starter damajha
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In summary, the conversation discusses the chances of receiving a dollar from at least one of three people, with a hypothetical scenario provided. The equation for solving this problem is given as 100% minus the chance that none will give a dollar, which can be calculated by multiplying the individual chances that each person will not give a dollar. The summary also mentions an alternative approach of considering all possible combinations and summing the probabilities.
  • #1
damajha
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Should be simple enough... unfortunately I'm 20 years removed from college and can't seem to find an equation so I thought I'd post it here.

If there is a 30% chance that Bob will give me a $1, and a 30% chance that Ted will give me a $1 and a 30% chance that Frank will give me a $1. What are the chances that at least one of them gives me a $1?

Very hypothetical, but if someone could give me the equation to solve it then I can figure some other problems out on my own.

Thanks,
Dale
 
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  • #2
The chance that at least one will give you a dollar is 100% minus the chance that none will give you a dollar. The chance that none will give you a dollar is the chance that the first won't give you a dollar times the chance the second won't times the chance the third won't.
 
  • #3
So... if I get this straight

1 - (.7 x .7 x .7) = 65.7% ?
 
  • #4
Yup, or you can look at all the combinations that can occur, e.g. Bob gives you a dollar and Ted and Frank don't, and so on, and then sum the appropriate probabilities.
 

1. What is simple probability?

Simple probability is a measure of the likelihood of an event occurring. It is calculated by dividing the number of favorable outcomes by the total number of possible outcomes.

2. How do you calculate simple probability?

The formula for simple probability is: P(A) = number of favorable outcomes / total number of possible outcomes.

3. Can simple probability be greater than 1 or less than 0?

No, simple probability cannot be greater than 1 or less than 0. It is always expressed as a decimal or fraction between 0 and 1.

4. What is the difference between simple probability and conditional probability?

Simple probability is the likelihood of an event occurring without any additional information, while conditional probability takes into account additional information or conditions that may affect the outcome.

5. How can simple probability be applied in real life?

Simple probability can be applied in many real-life situations, such as predicting the likelihood of winning a game, the probability of getting a certain outcome on a dice roll, or the chances of winning a lottery. It is also used in statistics and research to analyze and interpret data.

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