Tasks | Early Adolescence | Simulations

Tasks - Year 8

Simulations   by Peter Cazalet, Collie SHS

Phase of Development:   Early Adolescence

Learning Area/s:	Mathematics
Strand/s	Substrand/s
Chance & Data	Understanding Chance Collect & Organise Data Summarise & Represent Data Interpret Data
Brief Description:	A familiarisation using the Graphics Calculators.
Expected Outcomes:	Students will be convinced that we can simulate a chance event using the graphics calculator.
Context:	Two classes of year 8 students. 20 Casio CFX 9850G Graphics Calculators. 25 Casio fx7700 Graphic Calculators.
Learning Activities/ Experience:	The capability of the Graphics Calculator to generate random numbers in any range allows a number of chance events to be simulated. Examples include: rolling a die flipping a coin Two-up sum when two dice are rolled Roulette etc Before doing simulations we should demonstrate to students that the calculator will perform the process in a random way. This can be done by running two experiments simultaneously, one involving the actual task (eg. flipping the coin) the other simulating the task. Example 1 Flip a coin 100 times recording the outcomes. Flip a coin 100 times using the Graphics Calculator and record the results. How do the two methods compare for each group? Collect the results for the whole class. How do the two methods compare for the class? Example 1 Roll a die 100 times recording the outcomes. Roll a die 100 times using the Graphics Calculator and record the results. How do the two methods compare for each group? Collect the results for the whole class. How do the two methods compare for the class?
Resources:	Graphics Calculators Other: Coins, Dice, Roulette Wheels etc.
Practical Frameworks/ Templates/Worksheets:	Follow Up Ideas - Is this game fair? Example A group of Year 8 students make up a game involving rolling two dice and adding the numbers shown. What are the possible totals? These totals are written on pieces of paper and each student draws a total for the game. The person who wins the game is the person with the total showing. Is this game fair? Give reasons for your answer. Use dice and/or the Graphics Calculator to play the game a large number of times. What did you discover? Was the game fair? Explain.