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counting and probability senior
Problem
An unfair coin has a probability of turning up heads. If this coin is tossed times, what is the probability that the total number of heads is even?
(A)
(B)
(C)
(D)
Solution
Doing casework on the number of heads (0 heads, 2 heads, 4 heads...), we get the equation This is essentially the expansion of but without the odd power terms. To get rid of the odd power terms in , we add and then divide by because the even power terms that were not canceled were expressed twice. Thus, we have Or which is equivalent to answer choice .
Final answer
D