How does it work?

A classic experiment in probability theory and mathematical statistics, the coin toss offers two equally likely outcomes; heads or tails. From a physics perspective, if air resistance is ignored, the coin’s flight path obeys the laws of mechanics.

The initial conditions of the coin’s flight introduce an element of randomness with small fluctuations. In 2007, a theory emerged suggesting that coin tossing is inherently biased; This means there is a 51 percent chance that the coin will land on its original side due to precession; change in the direction of the axis of rotation during the rotation of the coin. Flight.

To test this theory, František Bartosz and his team gathered 48 participants who tossed together a surprising number of coins of 46 different currencies and denominations. 350,757. This experiment far surpassed the record of 40,000 coin tosses set in 2009.

guess confirmed

The results of the study supported the theory by showing that coins fall more often on the side they started falling on. The probability of such an outcome was measured at: 50.8 percentIt has a confidence interval between 50.6 and 50.9 percent. The study also found that this effect varies from person to person, consistent with the theory’s predictions.

However, it is worth noting that some doubts remained due to participants’ awareness of the primary hypothesis being tested. Although the possibility of manipulation cannot be completely ruled out, the researchers consider such an outcome unlikely in their study.

This large-scale empirical study sheds light on a long-debated aspect of coin tossing, providing insight into a subtle but persistent bias that appears to influence the way coins land.