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Playing dice simulation
Simulation 1
When you roll a pair of normal, 6sided dice together and add the numbers showing, what is the
most likely total?
What you have to do
·
Enter the formula RanInt#(1,6) + RanInt#(1,6) into your calculator. Each time you press
p
the calculator will simulate another roll of the dice.
·
Record the number displayed by your calculator each time you press
p
in the table.
Simulate the dice rolls at least 40 times.
Total of the dice
Tally
Frequency
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Discussion questions
·
What is the most common total when the numbers on a pair of dice are added?
·
Why does this number occur more
than other numbers?
·
What are the two rarest totals?
Simulation 2
Andrew and Imran are rolling a pair of normal, 6sided dice. Andrew thinks that a sum of 7 will
occur twice before a sum of 6 and a sum of 8 happens. Imran doesn’t agree. He thinks that a sum
of 6 and a sum of 8 before two sums of 7.
Your task is to determine who is right!
What you have to do
Enter the formula RanInt#(1,6) + RanInt#(1,6) into your calculator. When you press
p
ignore
any values that are not 6, 7 or 8. Record whether two sums of 7 or a sum of 6 and a sum of 8
happens first. Carry out at least 20 simulations and show your results in the table.
Two sums of 7
A sum of 6 and a sum of 8
(or a sum of 8 and a sum of 6)
Which event occurs first most often; two sums of 7 or a sum of 6 and a sum of 8? Why?
© Sue Thomson and Shriro Australia PTY Limited. This page may be photocopied for classroom use.
