10.09 Is it fair? (Investigation)

Let's play!!!!

Let's play a game. There are 2 red blocks and 3 blue blocks. (Or use any colour/number of blocks you want!) We take turns picking blocks. If both of the blocks are the same colour, I win. If the blocks are different colours, you win.

Questions

Question 1

What are all the possible outcomes?

question 2

Do you think this game is fair? Explain.

Question 3

There are two versions of this game.

1. After you pick the first block, you put it back before you choose the second block.
2. After you pick the first block, you DON’T put it back before you choose the second block.

Does this make a difference? Explain.

 

Activity:

Materials

• Paper bag with 2 red blocks and 3 blue blocks
• Recording sheet:

My Wins	Your Wins

Instructions

Play 10 to 50 rounds (or more!) of the game for each version. Together, calculate the experimental probability for each person winning for each version of the game.
 

Questions

question 4

Compare the two versions. Is each game fair? If not, who has a better chance of winning?

question 5

Which version of the game would you prefer to play?

Question 6

Calculate the theoretical probability of drawing two blocks of the same colour and compare the theoretical probability with the experimental probabilities that were calculated.