Help on test question: If something is impossible, is it the least possible of a selection of events?

Question

This confused me on a test I took. The exact question and answers don't really matter.

Which of the following is the LEAST possible?

A) event that is very likely to happen

B) event that could happen

C) event that is unlikely to happen

D) event that is impossible to happen

I put D, considering it was impossible to happen, I figured that would mean it was the least possible. The teacher insisted it was C, that it "least possible" means only out of the events that are possible. I can see where he's coming from, but the question is ambiguous at best.

Answer 1

From a logical standpoint you'd have to attack the question from the basis it's being presented, which is an events possibility, or amount thereof. Therefore, you would read the answers like this:

A) event that has the greatest amount of possibility.

B) event that has average amount of possibility.

C) event that has a lower amount of possibility than average.

D) event that has NO possibility (of occuring).

This is where you can start to see where you and your teacher break off. If your teacher is being a jerk and basically saying "LEAST possible" in that it has the lowest amount of possibility WHILE STILL BEING POSSIBLE, then C would be the correct answer, because D has NO possibility at all. If it, however, is to be interpreted with a hint of common sense, than anyone would know that nothing is of less value than something (mathematically represented as "0 < 1"). Therefore, D is the lowest value of possibility, meaning it is the least possible. Also, another reason why D is correct along this line of thinking is because, thanks to the English language's beautiful use of intonation and it's effect on the interpretation of communicated messages, LEAST is the emphasized word, meaning we're looking at what's lowest, not what's possible. If the question had been worded "least POSSIBLE" or even "LEAST POSSIBLE", I'd say your teacher squeezed away with this one. Since it's worded the way it is and for the other reasons I've explained above, I'd say the answer is more clearly C. Hopefully you're teacher can see through the muddled logic of the question to see why this is correct. Take care!

Answer 2

Ask your teacher this: If you have two apples, your friend has three apples, and I have no apples, who has the least amount of apples?  Do I not count because I don't have any amount of apples?  No, the person with zero has the least.

Probabilities are measured as a percentage, or as a number from zero to one.  Impossible means zero, one or 100% means it must happen.  Your teacher is trying to stretch the meaning of the word "least" beyond what's generally acceptable.  Have him ask an English teacher if he's not convinced.    

Answer 3

what course was this for?  technically the teacher is correct, but you could argue your point.  there are lots of events that have occurred that people said were impossible.  Humans flying in an airplane, man landing on the moon.

Depends in the class, but i think you can make a well presented argument for your answer.  In that respect, the question is debatable.  In your argument i wouldn't use Ambivalent though as its not the correct use of the word.  see definition below from wikipedia:

Ambivalence - a state of having emotions of both positive and negative valence or of having thoughts or actions in contradiction with each other, when they are related to the same object, idea or person (for example, feeling both love and hatred for someone or something). The term is also commonly used to refer to situations where 'mixed feelings' of a more general sort are experienced or where a person experiences uncertainty or indecisiveness concerning something.

Answer 4

I would have to agree with BJ.  The least possible would still need a chance to become possible.  This rules out D.  And asking for the Least would lead us looking for the most unlikely.  So "C" .

Answer 5

i pick   B)