( Question 7,9.2:B-3 A penny, a nickel, a dime, and a quarter are tossed. What is the probability of obtaining at most one head on the tosses? The probability of obtaining at most one head on the tosses is (Type an integer or a simplified fraction.)
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To determine the probability of obtaining at most one head when tossing a penny, a nickel, a dime, and a quarter, we first calculate the total number of possible outcomes. Each coin has 2 outcomes (heads or tails), so with 4 coins, there are \( 2^4 = 16 \) possible outcomes. Now, let's consider the favorable outcomes for obtaining at most one head: 1. Zero heads (all tails): 1 outcome (TTTT) 2. One head: There are 4 combinations (HTTT, THTT, TTHT, TTTT). Adding those favorable outcomes gives us \( 1 + 4 = 5 \). Now we calculate the probability: \[ \text{Probability} = \frac{\text{Favorable outcomes}}{\text{Total outcomes}} = \frac{5}{16} \] So, the probability of obtaining at most one head on the tosses is \( \frac{5}{16} \).