Probability of Spinning Blue on a Spinner

What is the probability of spinning a blue on a spinner with 5 blue sectors and 11 yellow sectors?

This problem falls under the domain of discrete probability, a branch of mathematics that deals with calculating the likelihood of events happening within a finite or countable sample space. In this specific problem, you are tasked with determining the probability of landing on a blue sector of a spinner, which is a fundamental exercise in understanding basic probability principles.

Probability is generally calculated as the ratio of favorable outcomes to the total number of possible outcomes. In this case, the favorable outcome is the spinner landing on a blue sector, and the total possible outcomes are all the sectors on the spinner - both blue and yellow. The calculation illustrates concepts of sample space and event space, which are foundational in learning about probability.

Understanding how to calculate probability in scenarios like this is crucial for more complex problems involving probability distributions, expected values, and random variables. By mastering simple probability problems, you build the groundwork required to approach and solve more intricate problems in discrete mathematics, computer science, and beyond.