Solution

ID: past-exam-of-the-mathematics-course-of-the-university-of-cambridge/2007/iii/paper-34/5/c/solution

The orthogonal projection onto the eigenspace of the Pauli matrix is . By the Born rule and the Bloch vector representation,
Since ,
The given vector has length , so it lies inside the Bloch ball and indeed defines a valid mixed qubit state. For the physical spin operator , the corresponding outcome is with the same probability.

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