Home Math Activity #2: Probability
I don’t remember particularly liking probability when I learned it in math class. I did, however, discover a passion for real-world application of statistics and probability, when applied to activities that interested me anyway. Dungeons and Dragons, the Hamilton lottery, the blackjack table…
While there is a very low probability we will be taking our kids to the local casino anytime soon, we can do some activities that create discussion about statistics and probability, at any age!
Home Math Activity #2: Probability
Preschool and Elementary
Materials:
A coin or 6-sided die
Paper or computer for graphing
Activity Ideas:
Flip coin or roll die twice
Flip coin or roll die ten times, fifty times, etc. (as long as mathematician is interested)
Present results on a pictograph or bar graph
Discussion Questions:
How many possible flips or rolls are there?
Which flip or roll happened more often after two tries? After fifty?
What do you think would happen if we rolled or flipped a hundred times? A thousand times?
What do you think would happen if we used a different coin or die?
What do you think would happen if we used a die with a different number of sides?
What is a graph?
How did your graph help you see patterns in your results?
Middle and High School
Materials:
Two coins or 6-sided dice
Paper or computer for graphing
Activity Ideas:
Flip one coin or roll one die twice
Flip coin or roll die ten times, fifty times, etc. (as long as mathematician is interested)
Flip both coins or roll both dice twice, ten times, fifty times, etc.
Flip one coin or roll one dice, and then predict the outcome of the second one
Present results on a graph
Discussion Questions:
What is the difference between theoretical probability and experimental probability?
How many possible flips or rolls are there?
What percentage of the final results do you predict for each outcome?
Which flip or roll happened more often after two tries? After fifty?
What do you think would happen if we rolled or flipped a hundred times? A thousand times?
How many tries do you think it would take until your experimental probability matched theoretical probability?
What do you think would happen if we used a different coin or die?
What do you think would happen if we used a die with a different number of sides?
Which type of graph did you choose? Why?
STEM Application: How might we create a computer model to predict results of coin tosses or die rolls? How might we test these models?