If a regular, two sided coin is being perpetually flipped, given enough time, will it ever land on the same side one million times consecutively?
2006-08-02 13:32:13 · 11 answers · asked by The_Benster! 2 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Other - Science
Yes. In fact, it is guaranteed to happen (the odds of it *not* happening are zero).
The key phrase is "given enough time." It then does not matter how low the odds of N consecutive tails are as long as they are not zero. "Given enough time" presupposes that there is no limit to the age of the universe, or the the durability of the coin, or the longevity of the flipper, or to the flipper's patience.
"Given enough time" means an *infinite* amount of time, and therefore an *infinite* number of flips. The probability of *not* getting N consecutive tails is inversely proportional to the number of flips you have to achieve it. If the number of flips is infinite, then the probability of *not* getting it is 0.
2006-08-02 15:07:10 · answer #1 · answered by secretsauce 7 · 50⤊ 9⤋
Yes, but the probability is so extremely low...
How low?
One out of 1E301030. That is a one followed by 301030 zeroes. That is the number of tries you will have to do before you get 1000000 'heads' in a row.
To put things in prespective, is it assumed there are 1E90 or so atoms in the universe. The universe has existed for 4E17 seconds. So if every atom in the universe had been flipping a coin one million times a second since the beginning of time, there only would be one chance out of 1E300923 (that is one followed by 300923 zeroes) that one of those series would have been the one million head in a row you are hoping for.
My advise is that you cheat and put the coin in the right order yourself. Of course that would not prove anything, but think how much time you'd save.
2006-08-02 13:54:35 · answer #2 · answered by Vincent G 7 · 9⤊ 3⤋
i'm very sure it's possible if you flip and keep track of how many times the coin lands on what side long enough, though i don't know anyone with that much patience.
2006-08-02 13:42:57 · answer #3 · answered by Aleahgirl31548 2 · 4⤊ 2⤋
it's possible in theory, but in practice chances are no. Besides, do you really want to flip a coin one million times
2006-08-02 14:14:29 · answer #4 · answered by B 2 · 3⤊ 3⤋
No. The coin would wear out before it ever happened. Perhaps if you put a some butter on one side...
2006-08-02 13:42:54 · answer #5 · answered by martin b 4 · 5⤊ 6⤋
Theoretically possible. Practically impossible.
2006-08-02 13:52:25 · answer #6 · answered by davidosterberg1 6 · 8⤊ 4⤋
All these answers and nobody told you to start flipping and counting. 8(
2006-08-02 14:19:58 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 6⤊ 5⤋
No, Murphy's first law forbids it. According to this law it is possible to get to 999999 but the last hit wil ruin everything.
2006-08-02 13:50:26 · answer #8 · answered by Willem V 3 · 8⤊ 8⤋
The odds are immensly against it, I guess you can't real prove something like that since it has to do with chance, but don't count on it ever happening in you or your grandchildrens lifetime anyways.
2006-08-02 13:38:05 · answer #9 · answered by stingray4540 2 · 0⤊ 10⤋
mathematically possible.
2006-08-02 13:37:08 · answer #10 · answered by galactic_man_of_leisure 4 · 8⤊ 1⤋