document.write( "Question 1202421: A fair coin is flipped two times. What is the probability that the coin comes up heads first and then tails second? \n" ); document.write( "
Algebra.Com's Answer #837246 by math_tutor2020(3817)\"\" \"About 
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\n" ); document.write( "Answer: 1/4\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Explanation:\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "There are 4 outcomes when flipping a coin twice (i.e. flipping two coins simultaneously).\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "This is the sample space of all four outcomes
  • HH
  • HT
  • TH
  • TT
H = heads and T = tails\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "The event HT represents getting heads first, then tails next. There's only one such occurrence out of 4 total. That's how we arrive at 1/4 as the final answer.\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Another way to look at it:
\n" ); document.write( "1/2 = probability of getting heads on 1st toss
\n" ); document.write( "1/2 = probability of getting tails on 2nd toss
\n" ); document.write( "(1/2)*(1/2) = 1/4 = probability of getting heads then tails in that order
\n" ); document.write( "Each coin flip is independent of any other.
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