Why is tossing a coin considered to be a fair way of deciding which team should get the ball at the beginning of a football game?
Tossing a coin is considered a fair way of deciding because the coin is symmetrical and unbiased, meaning there is no reason for it to come down more often on one side than the other. The coin can only land in one of two possible ways — either head up or tail up. Since both outcomes are equally likely, each team has an equal chance of winning the toss.
Explanation
The textbook explains that when we speak of a coin, we assume it to be 'fair' — that is, symmetrical, so there's no reason for it to favour one side over the other. This property is called being 'unbiased'. Additionally, the context states that outcomes 'head' and 'tail' are equally likely, meaning each has the same probability of occurring. This equal probability makes coin tossing a fair method for decision-making in sports.