Games of chance: expected payoff, the better bet and fair decisions
Grade 11 Math Worksheet - Challenge Me

Circle the best answer, or write your answer on the line.
$500 if dry, $100 if rainy. Indoor sale: $340 for sure. Kira's club can hold an outdoor fair or an indoor sale. What chance of dry weather makes the two expected earnings equal?
$800 if it is a home game, $200 if not. At school: $350 for sure. Luz's club can sell snacks at the next game or at school. What chance of a home game makes the two expected earnings equal?
$1,000 if sunny, $250 if not. Hall sale: $400 for sure. Noah's club can hold a garden sale or a hall sale. What chance of sun makes the two expected earnings equal?
A club makes 120 gift boxes at $3 each. Each sells for $8 with chance 0.75; unsold boxes are given to a shelter. What expected profit for the batch does Ren find?
A factory makes 500 bulbs at $1.20 each. A bulb that passes (chance 0.96) sells for $4; one that fails is thrown out. What expected profit for the batch does Tala find?
Ripe, bruised, spoiled; price = $7, $3, $0; chance = 0.8, 0.15, 0.05. A farm stand grows 80 melons at $2 each. The table gives each melon's price and chance. What expected profit for the batch does Zee find?
HHH, HHT, HTH, THH, HTT, THT, TTH, TTT. Ari and a friend want a fair way to pick who reads first, using three fair coins. Which rule is fair?
- 0 or 1 heads picks Ari; 2 or 3 heads picks the friend
- All three coins match picks Ari; anything else picks the friend
- 3 heads picks Ari; anything else picks the friend
Number cube 1–6; coins HH, HT, TH, TT. Bo and two friends want a fair way to pick who clears the art table each week. Which rule is fair?
- Two fair coins: two heads, two tails or one of each picks each person
- A fair number cube: 1–2, 3–4 or 5–6 picks each person
- A fair number cube: 1, 2–3 or 4–6 picks each person
The 36 cells of two number cubes. Esme and a friend want a fair way to pick who chooses the class song, using two fair number cubes. Which rule is fair?
- Both cubes the same picks Esme; different picks the friend
- A sum of 7 or less picks Esme; 8 or more picks the friend
- An even sum picks Esme; an odd sum picks the friend
Spinner red, red, red, blue, green; number cube 1–6. Jun and a friend want a fair way to pick who feeds the class fish. A spinner has 5 equal sections: red, red, red, blue and green. Which rule is fair?
- A fair number cube: 1–3 picks Jun; 4–6 picks the friend
- The spinner: red or blue picks Jun; green picks the friend
- The spinner: red picks Jun; blue or green picks the friend