The Student Room Group

How to create a geometric progression from this probability question?

A and B are shooting at a shooting range, but they only have one six-shooter with one cartridge.*So they agreed to take turns randomly spinning the drum and shooting.*A starts. Find the probability that a shot will occur when A has the revolver.

Solution
The shot occurs on the odd numbered attempt (when A has the revolver); on other attempts the shot does not occur. Therefore, the required probability is the sum + (⅚)²·⅙ + (⅚) 4 ·⅙ + ... = 6 / 11 .

I am unsure how they generated this sequence...
Reply 1
Original post by MonoAno555
A and B are shooting at a shooting range, but they only have one six-shooter with one cartridge.*So they agreed to take turns randomly spinning the drum and shooting.*A starts. Find the probability that a shot will occur when A has the revolver.

Solution
The shot occurs on the odd numbered attempt (when A has the revolver); on other attempts the shot does not occur. Therefore, the required probability is the sum + (⅚)²·⅙ + (⅚) 4 ·⅙ + ... = 6 / 11 .

I am unsure how they generated this sequence...

Can you write down in words (or draw a tree) how A could fire the shot? So what is the sequence (and the corresponding probabilities) for each case?
(edited 7 months ago)

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