What determines the accuracy of a probability estimate based on repeated trials?

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In summary, the conversation discusses the probability of a pea plant growing into a tall or dwarf plant and how Mendel's experiment with pea plants is similar to rolling a die. The accuracy of guessing the number of faces on a die increases with more trials, but there are no guarantees in probability. The Law of Large Numbers is mentioned as a concept related to this topic.
  • #1
Likith D
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If you go through my thread here
https://www.physicsforums.com/threa...the-phenotypic-ratio-of-the-pea-plant.848650/
There is a particular reason that strikes me when i go through the answers i received - it seems so that for each pea to grow into a tall plant, the possibility of such an event is 3 for 4; and the probability of the pea to grow to a dwarf one is 1 for 4...
lets consider a similar sort of experiment, Mendel took
Say I have a die and 5 of it's faces are painted green and the other 1 is painted yellow, and you don't know the number of faces the die has ( say ). Only by rolling the die and noting observations can you guess the number of faces a die has for X number of trails and ;
will greater the X , more accurate the guess ?
 
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  • #2
Likith D said:
If you go through my thread here
https://www.physicsforums.com/threa...the-phenotypic-ratio-of-the-pea-plant.848650/
There is a particular reason that strikes me when i go through the answers i received - it seems so that for each pea to grow into a tall plant, the possibility of such an event is 3 for 4; and the probability of the pea to grow to a dwarf one is 1 for 4...
lets consider a similar sort of experiment, Mendel took
Say I have a die and 5 of it's faces are painted green and the other 1 is painted yellow, and you don't know the number of faces the die has ( say ). Only by rolling the die and noting observations can you guess the number of faces a die has for X number of trails and ;
will greater the X , more accurate the guess ?

Yes, the accuracy of the guess increases with the number of trials. This is what statistics is largely about, telling you exactly how (in)accurate.
 
  • #3
Likith D said:
If you go through my thread here
https://www.physicsforums.com/threa...the-phenotypic-ratio-of-the-pea-plant.848650/
There is a particular reason that strikes me when i go through the answers i received - it seems so that for each pea to grow into a tall plant, the possibility of such an event is 3 for 4; and the probability of the pea to grow to a dwarf one is 1 for 4...
lets consider a similar sort of experiment, Mendel took
Say I have a die and 5 of it's faces are painted green and the other 1 is painted yellow, and you don't know the number of faces the die has ( say ). Only by rolling the die and noting observations can you guess the number of faces a die has for X number of trails and ;
will greater the X , more accurate the guess ?

Have you read about the Law of Large Numbers?
 
  • #4
WWGD said:
Have you read about the Law of Large Numbers?
nope but i'd be interested...
 
  • #5
Likith D said:
will greater the X , more accurate the guess ?

In a scenario involving probability there are no deterministic guarantees. You can't be sure the guess will be more accurate with a greater number of trials. The correct statement is that more trials implies a greater probability that the estimate ("the guess") will be accurate.
 
  • #6
Stephen Tashi said:
In a scenario involving probability there are no deterministic guarantees. You can't be sure the guess will be more accurate with a greater number of trials. The correct statement is that more trials implies a greater probability that the estimate ("the guess") will be accurate.
That makes it more clear
Thanx
 

1. What is probability?

Probability is a measure of the likelihood of an event occurring. It is typically expressed as a number between 0 and 1, where 0 indicates impossibility and 1 indicates certainty.

2. How is probability calculated?

The calculation of probability depends on the type of event. For a simple event, the probability is equal to the number of favorable outcomes divided by the total number of possible outcomes. For more complex events, probability can be calculated using mathematical formulas or statistical methods.

3. What factors affect probability?

The two main factors that affect probability are the number of possible outcomes and the likelihood of each outcome. Other factors that may influence probability include randomness, uncertainty, and external factors such as weather or human behavior.

4. How is probability used in science?

Probability is used in science to make predictions and draw conclusions based on data. It is also used to design experiments and analyze results, as well as to model and understand complex systems and phenomena.

5. What are some common misconceptions about probability?

One common misconception is that probability is solely based on chance. In reality, probability takes into account both chance and other factors that may influence the likelihood of an event. Another misconception is that past outcomes affect future outcomes, when in fact probability is independent and each event is unique.

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