In the context of basic probability, which statement best describes probability?

• A. The number of times an event has occurred in the past, regardless of the total number of trials.
• B. A guarantee that an event will occur whenever it is possible.
• C. A numerical measure of how likely an event is to occur, typically ranging from $0$ (impossible) to $1$ (certain).
• D. A value that must always be greater than $1$ for events that are likely to happen.

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand that probability is a measure used to quantify the likelihood of an event occurring.
2. Recall that probability values range between 0 and 1, where 0 means the event is impossible and 1 means the event is certain.
3. Recognize that probability is not about past occurrences alone, but about the chance of an event happening in a given trial or experiment.
4. Note that probability is not a guarantee; even events with high probability may not occur every time.
5. Conclude that the best description of probability is: a numerical measure of how likely an event is to occur, typically ranging from 0 (impossible) to 1 (certain).