Help with beginner probability problem: "Elton Brand is shooting free throws...."

Help with beginner probability problem: "Elton Brand is shooting free throws...."

Hi,

I saw this probability question today and I don't understand how the answer was derived. It was about independent events. Could someone explain?

Here it is:

Elton Brand is shooting free throws. Making or missing free throws doesn't change the probability that he will make his next one, and he makes his free throws 78% of the time.

What is the probability of Elton Brand making all of his next 4 free throw attempts?

tsims25 said:

Elton Brand is shooting free throws. Making or missing free throws doesn't change the probability that he will make his next one, and he makes his free throws 78% of the time.
What is the probability of Elton Brand making all of his next 4 free throw attempts?

Click to expand...

The probability of getting a three on a roll of a die is \(\displaystyle \frac{1}{6}\).
If the die is rolled four times, the probability of all threes is \(\displaystyle \left(\frac{1}{6}\right)^4\).

Now apply that to your problem. Post what you do here to allow us to comment.

Ok, thanks. This is making more sense to me. I'm very visual so not working with a 2 sided coin or dice kind of threw me off. If Elton Brand makes his free throws 78% of the time, to calculate the probability of him making 4 in a row would be:

78% * 78% * 78% * 78% or (.78)^4

Is this correct?

pka said:

The probability of getting a three on a roll of a die is \(\displaystyle \frac{1}{6}\).
If the die is rolled four times, the probability of all threes is \(\displaystyle \left(\frac{1}{6}\right)^4\).

Now apply that to your problem. Post what you do here to allow us to comment.

Click to expand...

Ok, thanks. This is making more sense to me. I'm very visual so not working with a 2 sided coin or dice kind of threw me off. If Elton Brand makes his free throws 78% of the time, to calculate the probability of him making 4 in a row would be:

78% * 78% * 78% * 78% or (.78)^4

Is this correct?