Question:

What is the probability of getting seventh head in the tenth toss of an unbiased coin?

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The 7th head lands on toss 10 only if exactly 6 heads occur in the first 9 tosses and toss 10 is itself a head, use the negative binomial pmf.
Updated On: Jul 4, 2026
  • \(21/256\)
  • \(15/128\)
  • \(21/128\)
  • \(15/256\)
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The Correct Option is A

Solution and Explanation

Step 1: The 7th head occurring exactly on the 10th toss means among the first 9 tosses there are exactly 6 heads (and 3 tails), and the 10th toss itself is a head.
Step 2: Probability of exactly 6 heads in 9 tosses: \[\binom{9}{6}\left(\frac{1}{2}\right)^9 = \frac{84}{512}\]
Step 3: Multiply by the probability that the 10th toss is a head, \(1/2\): \[\frac{84}{512}\times\frac{1}{2} = \frac{84}{1024} = \frac{21}{256}\]
The required probability is \(21/256\).
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