Making Decisions From Samples
introduction to probability, sampling tiles, figuring the odds, modeling statistical terms, comparing data sets
In this lesson, students are asked to use sampling techniques to determine which two of five people are most probably related. The data is represented by colored tiles in a sack, one sack for each of the five people. The student groups draw and record the tile samples and then use graphs and tables to display their data (refer to the concepts and tools contained in the topic pages listed in red above this paragraph).
The problem then becomes deciding which of the two people are related. Students might:
The group's task is to prepare a convincing mathematical argument including data displays and computations to support their conclusion about which two of the sample subjects are related. Here's a class data sample with raw data and decimal equivalents. Who would you say is most likely to be related?
