What is the probability of getting at least 2 heads when flipping a coin 3 times?

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To calculate the probability of getting at least 2 heads when flipping a coin 3 times, we can first determine the total number of possible outcomes and then count the number of favorable outcomes.

1. Total Outcomes: When flipping a coin, there are 2 possible outcomes for each flip: heads (H) or tails (T). Therefore, when flipping a coin 3 times, the total number of outcomes is:

  • 2 (outcomes for the first flip) × 2 (outcomes for the second flip) × 2 (outcomes for the third flip) = 2³ = 8

So, the 8 possible outcomes are: HHH, HHT, HTH, HTT, THH, THT, TTH, TTT.

2. The favorable outcomes for getting at least 2 heads are:

  • HHH
  • HHT
  • HTH
  • THH

This gives us a total of 4 favorable outcomes.

3. Calculating the Probability: To find the probability of getting at least 2 heads, we can use the formula:

Probability = (Number of Favorable Outcomes) / (Total Number of Outcomes)

This means:

Probability of at least 2 heads = 4 (favorable outcomes) / 8 (total outcomes) = 0.5 or 50%

4. Conclusion: Therefore, the probability of getting at least 2 heads when flipping a coin 3 times is 50%.

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