The probability scale is a great tool that helps us see how likely it is for different things to happen. It goes from impossible events to things that are for sure to happen.

Imagine a line.

• One end shows impossible events with a probability of 0.
• The other end shows certain events with a probability of 1.

Impossible Events

Think about rolling a die.

If you want to roll a 7, that’s impossible because a die only has numbers from 1 to 6. So, the probability of rolling a 7 is 0.

Certain Events

Now, let’s talk about something certain.

We can say the sun will rise tomorrow. That is something we can count on, so it has a probability of 1.

Probabilities in Between

Most events in life fall somewhere between these two ends. Here are a couple of examples:

• When you flip a coin, you can get heads or tails. Each side has a probability of 0.5.
• If you roll a six-sided die, the chance of rolling a 2 is 1 out of 6, or about 0.17.

Visualizing the Scale

Here's how you can picture the probability scale:

• 0: Impossible
• 0.5: Even chance (like flipping a coin)
• 1: Certain

By understanding the probability scale, we can better grasp how likely different events are in our daily lives. This knowledge can really help us make better decisions!