A basketball player who shoots 80% from the free-throw line goes to the charity stripe with just 1.7 seconds remaining in a basketball game.
He has two shots, and his team is trailing by two points.

What is the probability that he will make only one of the two, and why?

(Assume that he is trying, of course, for his team to win the game.)

Well, the probability of making the first shot is 80%, times the probability of the second shot is 80%, so the probability of either is only 64%.

Posted by Aaron on 2003-08-15 08:42:47