Probabilities when flipping a coin

Flipping of a coin has been used for several reasons since when it was first started way back in the Roman times where it was fondly known as heads or ships. This practice has been maintained to date and is still widely used in modern society for several reasons. From making decisions to the determination of outcomes, flipping of a coin can be compared to the throwing of dices or playing rock, paper and scissors. Coin flips are the most used than the other modes of decision making or problem-solving mentioned above.

By tossing a coin you can determine the side of the pitch that each team will start with, in a soccer match. This method is officially accepted and is used in major leagues such as the English Premier League. The outcome of a coin flip can be used to solve disputes where two parties have failed to come to an agreement. A mediator who is handling the case and is definitely neutral may decide to settle the case by flipping the coin. This outcome of the toss whether heads or tails will determine who has won the case.



The loser of the coin flip will be required to accept the results of the coin flip. By using this method, conflicts can be solved amicably without physical confrontations or bias. Gambling is a known field where flipping of coins is widely applicable. In the case of poker, the coin flip will determine who will shuffle the cards, take the first hand or make the first move. During a draw, the coin flip will be used to determine the winner. This method is used to determine the winner of a rugby game in case of a draw after normal playtime and certain death.

A coin is a circular object which is made from either gold, silver or other metal alloys which are made in mints and have a financial value. It is mainly used to purchase products of lower prices since most coins are cents or pennies. A coin has two parts which are the head and the tail. The head of a tail is usually the face of a prominent person in government or a celebrated hero of a country. Its tail usually symbolizes important government signs such as the coat of arms or the public seal of the government.



During a flip, the flipper tosses a coin in the air using a thumb and the coin is let to fall on the floor or the open palms of the flipper. The coin can only land on its head part or tail part since it is nearly impossible for it to stand by its edges. A coin is therefore assumed to have two sides; the head and the tail. This means that a flipping coin has the probability of ½ in fraction form or zero point five in decimal form.

Looking from a mathematical point of view, the coin has half-chances of landing on either head or tail provided it is not biased. This means that the outcome is not certain and can go either side, therefore, dividing it by two, and the result is a half. The chances of the coin landing on its edges are very slim and almost impossible therefore its probability is zero. However, at times the outcome of the toss is predetermined through a biased throw.



This predetermination is known as the biased coin occurrence. The prior determination of a toss occurs when you manipulate the flipping so that he may favor a certain outcome, for example, a continued heads result. Biasness can be achieved when you keep on tossing the coin at a certain calculated angle so that it makes some fixed landings. This method is dishonest and may get you into trouble if you pull it off on people. Because the result is almost certain, its probability is one.

From the explanations above, you should note that a coin has three probabilities in case it is flipped. The probabilities are either zero, half or one depending on the nature of the tossing. It is also important to note that the probability of a toss is always random and depends on pure luck unless you are a biased coin tosser. You should also be careful when making decisions by a coin flip since the result may be undesirable and the results can be damaging.