Ohio Assessments for Educators (OAE) Mathematics Practice Exam

The empirical probability is best described as:

1. Theoretical outcomes

2. Calculated from previous data

3. Assumptions based on trends

4. Results from mathematical models

The correct answer is: Calculated from previous data

Empirical probability is defined as the probability that is calculated based on actual observations or experiments, rather than theoretical frameworks. When we say it is calculated from previous data, we are referring to using historical occurrences to assess how likely an event is to happen in the future. This method involves collecting data from past events, such as tossing a coin or rolling a die, and then determining the likelihood of an outcome by the frequency with which that outcome occurred in the observed data. For example, if you were to flip a coin 100 times and it landed on heads 56 times, the empirical probability of landing heads would be 56 out of 100 or 0.56. This closely ties to real-world data and the actual behavior of events, distinguishing it from the theoretical probability, which may not account for all variables influencing those events.