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Probability Calculator

Probability

As fraction

Odds

The counting core
P = favorable ⁄ total · nCr = n!⁄(r!(n−r)!) · nPr = n!⁄(n−r)!

Probability, at its cleanest, is counting: favorable outcomes over total outcomes. This calculator sticks to exactly countable scenarios — coins, dice, combinations — so every answer is an exact fraction, not a simulation.

Coins: the binomial pattern

Five flips create 2⁵ = 32 equally likely sequences. "Exactly 3 heads" happens in C(5,3) = 10 of them → 10⁄32 = 31.25%. This binomial structure — C(n,k) ways out of 2ⁿ — underlies polling, quality control, and every yes/no repetition in statistics.

Dice: why 7 rules the table

Two dice make 36 ordered pairs. Totals count their combinations: 7 has six ways (1+6 … 6+1) for 16.7%, while 2 and 12 have one way each (2.78%). The neat formula: ways = 6 − |total − 7|. Craps, Settlers of Catan and backgammon strategy all live on this little pyramid.

Combinations vs permutations: does order matter?

Choosing 3 people from 10 for identical seats: C(10,3) = 120. Assigning them distinct roles — president, secretary, treasurer: P(10,3) = 720, exactly 3! = 6 times more, one for each ordering of the chosen trio. The calculator shows both side by side so the distinction stops being abstract.

Fractions, percents, odds — and the fallacy

The same chance wears three outfits: 1⁄13 probability = 7.7% = odds of 1 : 12. And no run of luck rewrites any of them — five heads in a row leaves the sixth flip at exactly 50%, because independent events have no memory. For distribution-based probability (how unusual is a value?), continue to the z-score calculator; the randomness itself lives in the standard deviation calculator's territory.

Exact BigInt counting; results shown as reduced fractions.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the probability of getting heads k times in n flips? +

The binomial formula: C(n,k) × 0.5ⁿ for a fair coin. Exactly 3 heads in 5 flips: C(5,3) × (1⁄32) = 10⁄32 = 31.25%.

What are the odds of rolling a specific total with two dice? +

Count the combinations out of 36. A total of 7 has six ways (1-6 through 6-1): 6⁄36 = 16.7% — the most likely total. Snake eyes (2) has just one way: 2.8%.

What is the difference between combinations and permutations? +

Permutations count ordered arrangements: nPr = n!⁄(n−r)!. Combinations ignore order: nCr = n!⁄(r!(n−r)!). Choosing 3 of 10 people for identical roles: C(10,3) = 120; for distinct roles: P(10,3) = 720.

What is the probability of drawing an ace from a deck? +

4 aces in 52 cards: 4⁄52 = 1⁄13 ≈ 7.7%. Drawing two aces in a row without replacement: (4⁄52) × (3⁄51) ≈ 0.45%.

How do probability and odds differ? +

Probability compares wins to all outcomes (1⁄13); odds compare wins to losses (1 : 12). Converting: odds = p ⁄ (1 − p).

What is the gambler’s fallacy? +

Believing past independent outcomes change future ones. Five heads in a row does not make tails “due” — the next flip is still 50/50. Coins have no memory.

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