Question

Butter side down Researchers at Manchester Metropolitan University in England

determined that if a piece of toast is dropped from a$2.5$-foot-high table, the probability

that it lands butter side down is $0.81$.

a. Explain what this probability means.

b. Suppose that the researchers dropped $4$pieces of toast, and all of them landed butter

side down. Does that make it more likely that the next piece of toast will land with the

butter side up? Explain your answer.

Short answer

(a)This probability means that if a piece of toast is dropped from a $2.5$-foot-high table,then there is $81$% possibility

that it lands butter side down.

(b)No,it does not make it more likely that the next piece of toast will land with the

butter side up.

Step-by-step solution

Part (a) Step 1:Given Information

We have been given that,

A piece of toast is dropped from a $2.5$-foot-high table, the probability that it lands butter side down is $0.81$.

Part (a) Step 2:Explanation

This probability means that if a piece of toast is dropped from a $2.5$-foot-high table,then there is $81$% possibility that it lands butter side down.

Part (b) Step 1:Given Information

We have been given that,

Number of pieces of toast dropped = $4$

All dropped pieces of toast landed butter side down.

Part (b) Step 2:Explanation

No,it does not make it more likely that the next piece of toast will land with the butter side up.

This is because the probability of falling of toast butter side up is independent of whether previously it had landed butter side up or down.