Probability: Dice Dilemma Day 2

We completed our probability unit today.  We began by combining the dice data from the three classes yesterday into a spreadsheet.

We recorded the number of instances each sum was rolled and discovered that we had a total of 2550 rolls yesterday!  First, we looked to see if the sum 7 was the most frequently rolled (it was).  Then, we compared the sums that were supposed to have an equal number of rolls (2 and 12, 3 and 11, 4 and 10, 5 and 9, 6 and 8).   We found the largest discrepancy happened between 5 and 9.  We discussed that this was because of the "chance" involved when rolling two dice.

Finally, using a calculator, we divided the total number of times each sum was rolled by the total number of rolls.  This gave us our decimal.  We then converted our decimal into a percentage and compared it to the theoretical probability percentages we found yesterday.

Each of the circled percentages is an instance when the theoretical probability and the experimental probability matched (6 occurances).  The underlined percentages were only "one away" (5 occurrances).

The fact that all of our percentages were either circled or underlined, just emphasized the fact that theoretical probability is what SHOULD happen and with enough data gathered, it usually does!