If a fair coin is tossed 9 times, what is the probability that the next toss will be tails (T)?

The probability of getting tails on a fair coin toss is always 0.5, regardless of the outcome of any previous tosses. This is because each toss of the coin is an independent event; the result of one toss does not influence the result of another.

Since the coin is fair, it has two outcomes—heads or tails—each equally likely. Therefore, the probability of tossing tails in any single attempt is 1 out of 2 (or 0.5). The prior results of the 9 tosses do not impact the 10th toss, ensuring that the probability remains constant at 0.5 for tails.

Understanding this concept of independence in probability is crucial when reasoning about repeated events such as coin tosses.