Questions: Which of the following numbers could not possibly be a probability? Justify your answer.
0.788
-0.351
1
What must be true for a number to be a probability?
A. The number must be between -1 and 1, exclusive.
B. The number must be between 0 and 1, inclusive.
C. The number must be between 0 and 1, exclusive.
D. The number must be positive.
E. The number must be between -1 and 1, inclusive.
F. The number must be rational.
Which of these numbers could not possibly be a probability? Select all that apply.
A. 0.788
B. -0.351
C. 1
D. All of the above numbers are possible probabilities.
Transcript text: Which of the following numbers could not possibly be a probability? Justify your answer.
0.788
$-0.351$
1
What must be true for a number to be a probability?
A. The number must be between -1 and 1 , exclusive.
B. The number must be between 0 and 1 , inclusive.
C. The number must be between 0 and 1 , exclusive.
D. The number must be positive.
E. The number must be between -1 and 1 , inclusive.
F. The number must be rational.
Which of these numbers could not possibly be a probability? Select all that apply.
A. 0.788
B. -0.351
C. 1
D. All of the above numbers are possible probabilities.
Solution
Solution Steps
To determine which numbers could not possibly be a probability, we need to understand the properties of probabilities. A probability must be a number between 0 and 1, inclusive. This means it cannot be negative and cannot be greater than 1.
Step 1: Understanding Probability Constraints
A probability \( P \) must satisfy the condition \( 0 \leq P \leq 1 \). This means that probabilities cannot be negative and cannot exceed 1.
Step 2: Evaluating Each Number
We will evaluate the given numbers:
For \( 0.788 \): Since \( 0 \leq 0.788 \leq 1 \), it is a valid probability.
For \( -0.351 \): Since \( -0.351 < 0 \), it is not a valid probability.
For \( 1 \): Since \( 0 \leq 1 \leq 1 \), it is a valid probability.
Step 3: Conclusion
Based on the evaluations, the only number that could not possibly be a probability is \( -0.351 \).