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Bunuel
Students are playing a guessing game in which a player must randomly guess which of five options is correct. After each guess, a new set of five options is presented. A player’s turn continues as long as the player answers correctly. A player’s turn ends the first time the player guesses incorrectly. What is the probability a player’s turn will end after the player guesses three times?

(A) 0.008
(B) 0.032
(C) 0.128
(D) 0.488
(E) 0.512

The player's turn ended after 3 guesses, therefore he/she must guessed the first 2 right and the 3rd one wrong.
The probability to guess the question right: \(\frac{1}{5}\)
The probability to guess the question wrong: \(\frac{4}{5}\)

Since the turn will end immediately if the student answer incorrectly, the wrong answer must be in question 3 (no need to take order of arrangement into consideration)

\(P = \frac{1}{5}*\frac{1}{5}*\frac{4}{5} = \frac{4}{125}\)

\(\frac{4}{100}\) = 0.04, therefore \(\frac{4}{125}\) should be a little less than 0.04 => (B)
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Solution:



Given:

    • The player needs to randomly guess one of five options.

    • After each guess, a new set of 5 options come up.

    • The game ends when the player guesses incorrectly.

Working out:

We need to find out the probability that the game ends after 3 turns.

Analysis of the guessing game:

    • Total options = 5

    • Correct option = 1

    • Probability of getting the correct guess = \(1/5 = 0.2\)

For the game to end after 3 turns, the following is the only possibility.

    • Turn1: Correct guess

    • Turn 2: Correct guess

    • Turn 3: Incorrect guess.

P (Game ending after 3 turns) = P (Correctly guess the first question) * P (Correctly guess the second question) * P (Incorrectly guesses the third question)

Or, P (Game ending after 3 turns) = \(1/5 * 1/5 * 4/5 = 4/ 125\)

Or, \(4/125 = 0.032\)

Answer: Option B
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Bunuel
Students are playing a guessing game in which a player must randomly guess which of five options is correct. After each guess, a new set of five options is presented. A player’s turn continues as long as the player answers correctly. A player’s turn ends the first time the player guesses incorrectly. What is the probability a player’s turn will end after the player guesses three times?

(A) 0.008
(B) 0.032
(C) 0.128
(D) 0.488
(E) 0.512

The probability that a turn ends after guessing 3 times is 1/5 x 1/5 x 4/5 = 4/125 = 0.032.

Answer: B
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