I have come across this text recently. I was confused, asked a friend, she was also not certain. Can you explain plese? What author is talking about here? I don't understand. Is the problem with the phrase "on average"?

Innumerable misconceptions about probability. For example, suppose I toss a fair coin 100 times. On every “heads”, I take one step to the north. On every “tails”, I take one step to the south. After the 100th step, how far away am I, on average, from where I started? (Most kids – and more than a few teachers – say “zero” ... which is not the right answer.)

In a way it is pointless to talk about misconceptions, when you don't explain the misconceptions...

Source: https://www.av8n.com/physics/pedagogy.htm Section 4.2 Miscellaneous Misconceptions, item number 5

I have come across this text recently. I was confused, asked a friend, she was also not certain. Can you explain please? What author is talking about here? I don't understand. Is the problem with the phrase "on average"?

Innumerable misconceptions about probability. For example, suppose I toss a fair coin 100 times. On every “heads”, I take one step to the north. On every “tails”, I take one step to the south. After the 100th step, how far away am I, on average, from where I started? (Most kids – and more than a few teachers – say “zero” ... which is not the right answer.)

In a way it is pointless to talk about misconceptions, when you don't explain the misconceptions...

Source: https://www.av8n.com/physics/pedagogy.htm Section 4.2 Miscellaneous Misconceptions, item number 5