Watch: What is probability?
How do you show probability?
Probability or chance is how likely something is to happen.
If something has a low probability, it is unlikely to happen. If something has a high probability, it is likely to happen.
Probabilities are most commonly shown as fractions.
The probability of getting 'tails' when you toss a coin is a 1 in 2 chance, or 1/2.
Probabilities can also be shown as decimals or percentages. A probability of 1/2 can also be shown as 0.5 or 50%.
Using probability
A bag contains three bananas and nothing else.
Probabilities can be shown on a scale between 0 (impossible) and 1 (certain).
The probability of reaching into the bag and pulling out a banana is 1 (certain), as there is nothing else in the bag.
The probability of reaching into the bag and pulling out an apple is 0 (impossible), as there are no apples in the bag.
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