What’s the probability of a coin landing on its side?

Ricochet J · 2 Jul 2007 at 22:02

Assuming it meets the following conditions:
Tossed once
Lands on a straight level surface

It's not an "OMG homework thread", I finished college weeks ago!

I reckon it's one of life's little curiosities!

Glaucus · 2 Jul 2007 at 22:05

10trillion+ to one,

the fact that the coin is tossed, infers it has momentum, so it would be a miracle to land on it's side, as any slight off balance/movement would instantly make the coin fall on a face.

iCraig · 2 Jul 2007 at 22:07

The probability of it happening would be extremely minute.

mavity coupled with the momentum of the toss would render the coin too kinetic to be able to land on such a small surface area with any stability.

SideWinder · 2 Jul 2007 at 22:11

Thread closed i guess...

However i guess you could always try it a few times and post your results?

Millwall.FC · 2 Jul 2007 at 22:16

ill bet a fiver it lands.

G-MAN2004 · 2 Jul 2007 at 22:16

Millwall.FC said:
ill bet a fiver it lands.

I see what you did there.

Glaucus · 2 Jul 2007 at 22:17

Millwall.FC said:
ill bet a fiver it lands.

mine got stuck in a tree, £5 please...

Megahurtz400 · 2 Jul 2007 at 22:17

G-MAN2004 said:
I see what you did there.

*clap*

Raikiri · 2 Jul 2007 at 22:18

AcidHell2 said:
mine got stuck in a tree, £5 please...

Technically it landed in the tree.

geeza · 2 Jul 2007 at 22:18

also depends on the coin obviously. a 5p has a lot less chance of landing on its side than say a pound coin or an ancient coin i have that is almost a cm in thickness.

an the shape of the coin aswell, i have one at home thats not round.

Glaucus · 2 Jul 2007 at 22:18

Raikiri said:
Technically it landed in the tree.

damn you(where's the shaking the fist smiley) :mad:

Kreeeee · 2 Jul 2007 at 22:21

AcidHell2 said:
damn you(where's the shaking the fist smiley)

No no no, you say it got stuck on the way up. Landing infers that it came to rest as it was falling

Morthoseth · 2 Jul 2007 at 22:21

geeza said:
also depends on the coin obviously. a 5p has a lot less chance of landing on its side than say a pound coin or an ancient coin i have that is almost a cm in thickness.

an the shape of the coin aswell, i have one at home thats not round.

So do i, 20 and 50p pieces ;p

Raikiri · 2 Jul 2007 at 22:22

Kreeeee said:
No no no, you say it got stuck on the way up. Landing infers that it came to rest as it was falling

Well, I suppose if the upwards momentum caused it to get stuck in a branch or something... then ok. Otherwise it would have to land.

Glaucus · 2 Jul 2007 at 22:23

Kreeeee said:
No no no, you say it got stuck on the way up. Landing infers that it came to rest as it was falling

he-he I like.

Raikiri said:
Well, I suppose if the upwards momentum caused it to get stuck in a branch or something... then ok. Otherwise it would have to land.

I obviously threw it with such force, it got embedded into a branch.

geeza · 2 Jul 2007 at 22:23

Morthoseth said:
So do i, 20 and 50p pieces ;p

ha, yeh just thought about what i put!

I mean i have one thats almost square and has sharp edges

Millwall.FC · 2 Jul 2007 at 22:29

whats the chances of a fiver landing on its side?

Psycho Sonny · 2 Jul 2007 at 22:30

my family owns a restaurant and one table left a £3 tip on the table all pound coins, wen i went to clear the table i dropped one of the coins and it landed on its side and rolled about 5 feet and stopped on its side, a pound coin is a lot fatter than most coins an i reckon the odds of it landin on its side are a lot lower than say a 2p

geeza · 2 Jul 2007 at 22:31

Millwall.FC said:
whats the chances of a fiver landing on its side?

a lot if you fold it in half

Millwall.FC · 2 Jul 2007 at 22:31

G-MAN2004 said:
I see what you did there.

yea i won a fiver