Probability of getting three heads in five tosses of two coins?

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The discussion centers on the probability of obtaining three heads in five tosses of two coins, highlighting the confusion between specific outcomes and expected averages in probability theory. Participants clarify that while one cannot achieve three heads from tossing two coins, the concept relates to binomial distribution principles. The average outcome of tossing two unbiased coins multiple times should yield five heads over ten tosses. This distinction is crucial for understanding probability calculations in binomial scenarios.

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This statement seems to me to be similar to something like : the number of trials is 10 and the expected number of heads is 3. What is the difference between these two, if there is any? And although the second seems to be a simple case of binomial distribution, I wonder how one would go about tackling the first situation.
 
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hi s0ft! :smile:
s0ft said:
This statement seems to me to be similar to something like : the number of trials is 10 and the expected number of heads is 3. What is the difference between these two, if there is any?

i'm tempted to say that if you toss two coins, you'll never get three heads, no matter how many times you toss them! :rolleyes:

ignoring that interpretation, yes the two statements mean exactly the same :smile:
 
s0ft said:
This statement seems to me to be similar to something like : the number of trials is 10 and the expected number of heads is 3. What is the difference between these two, if there is any? And although the second seems to be a simple case of binomial distribution, I wonder how one would go about tackling the first situation.

You seem to be confusing the probability of a given outcome (three heads in five tosses) with the average over a number of tosses. Unless the coin is biased, the average after ten tosses should be five.
 

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