Question 17.9

17.9 Nickels falling over. You may feel that it is obvious that the probability of a head in tossing a coin is about 1-in-2 because the coin has two faces. Such opinions are not always correct. The previous exercise asked you to spin a nickel rather than toss it—that changes the probability of a head. Now try another variation. Stand a nickel on edge on a hard, flat surface. Pound the surface with your hand so that the nickel falls over. What is the probability that it falls with heads upward? Make at least 50 trials to estimate the probability of a head.