Probability

Each student must post (1) substantial initial post for each with a minimum of 300 words per topic.
Your original post should contain appropriate APA in-citations/references.

Topic

Probability is used constantly in our lives.  We rarely actually use numbers in our daily calculations but probability still controls much of our daily interactions. 

Some examples:
1. My wife is always late.  I would estimate that she is late perhaps 95% of the time.  Based on this, I can plan events.  One time I told her that the time we needed to arrive was one hour prior to the correct time.  We arrived about 10 minutes early.  This is a subjective probability where an estimate is based upon past experience.  Although percents and probability are not exactly the same, we tend to use them in the same manner.

2.  When I last went to Vegas, I played the poker machine.  I am not much into gambling so I play the 25 cent play.  I would have to determine the higher probability of winning given certain circumstances.  For example, I might go for all hearts or three of a kind based upon this mental calculation (assuming four hearts of which one is the jack of hearts and the non-heart is a jack of diamonds).  Based upon probability:

P(flush or all hearts) = 9/47  (the dealt card needs to be a heart, 47 cards remaining of which 9 are hearts) = 19.15%

P(three jacks) = 2/47 (the dealt card needs to be a jack, 47 cards remaining of which 2 are jacks) = 4.26%

This is assuming that you get a brand new deck each round of video poker.  Most people choose to go for the three of a kind but the flush has a better chance.

Come up with at least two examples of probability in your life.