2006-11-14 05:37:31 · 4 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Physics
Informally, probable is one of several words applied to uncertain events or knowledge, being closely related in meaning to likely, risky, hazardous, and doubtful. Chance, odds, and bet are other words expressing similar notions. Just as the theory of mechanics assigns precise definitions to such everyday terms as work and force, the theory of probability attempts to quantify the notion of probable. Probability always lies between 0 and 1. If probability is equal to 1 then that event is certain to happen and if the probability is 0 then that event will never occur.
The scientific study of probability is a modern development. Gambling shows that there has been an interest in quantifying the ideas of probability for millennia, but exact mathematical descriptions of use in those problems only arose much later.
Two major applications of probability theory in everyday life are in risk assessment and in trade on commodity markets. Governments typically apply probability methods in environmental regulation where it is called "pathway analysis", and are often measuring well-being using methods that are stochastic in nature, and choosing projects to undertake based on statistical analyses of their probable effect on the population as a whole. It is not correct to say that statistics are involved in the modelling itself, as typically the assessments of risk are one-time and thus require more fundamental probability models, e.g. "the probability of another 9/11". A law of small numbers tends to apply to all such choices and perception of the effect of such choices, which makes probability measures a political matter.
2006-11-14 07:08:50 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
It is a mathematical term that represents the likely hood of something happening. If you flip a coin, it has equal chance of coming up either heads or tails. The probability for heads coming up would be expresses as 1/2 since you have one chance in two of it happening. If you were to roll one die, you have a 1 in 6 chance of rolling a four so the probability of rolling a four would be 1/6.
2006-11-14 05:41:22 · answer #2 · answered by Gene 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
the percent of likelihood that something will or will not happen (or a measure of how often something will or will not happen) - kind of a basic definition, but I'm guessing that's what you were looking for
2006-11-14 05:40:04 · answer #3 · answered by curious cat 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
probability is likelihood, quality of being probable.
2006-11-14 05:43:03 · answer #4 · answered by sweet v 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋