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The coin flip conundrum - Po-Shen Loh

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TEDEd Animation

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When you flip a coin to make a decision, there's an equal chance of getting heads and tails. What if you flipped two coins repeatedly, so that one option would win as soon as two heads showed up in a row on that coin, and one option would win as soon as heads was immediately followed by tails on the other? Would each option still have an equal chance? Po-Shen Loh describes the counterintuitive math behind this question.

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TED-Ed Animations feature the words and ideas of educators brought to life by professional animators. Are you an educator or animator interested in creating a TED-Ed Animation? Nominate yourself here »

Meet The Creators

  • Educator Po-Shen Loh
  • Director Mimi Chiu
  • Script Editor Eleanor Nelsen
  • Producer Aaron Augenblick
  • Animator Mimi Chiu

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