Dropping in on the Math of Plinko

Autor/inn/en	Naresh, Nirmala; Royce, Bridget
Titel	Dropping in on the Math of Plinko
Quelle	In: Mathematics Teaching in the Middle School, 19 (2013) 4, S.214-221 (8 Seiten) PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	1072-0839
Schlagwörter	Mathematics Instruction; Probability; Data Analysis; Educational Games; Teaching Methods; Middle School Students; Educational Technology; Technology Uses in Education; Computer Simulation; Inferences; Mathematical Concepts; Television + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Mathematics lessons; Mathematikunterricht; Wahrscheinlichkeitsrechnung; Wahrscheinlichkeitstheorie; Auswertung; Educational game; Lernspiel; Teaching method; Lehrmethode; Unterrichtsmethode; Middle school; Middle schools; Student; Students; Mittelschule; Mittelstufenschule; Schüler; Schülerin; Unterrichtsmedien; Technology enhanced learning; Technology aided learning; Technologieunterstütztes Lernen; Computergrafik; Computersimulation; Inference; Inferenz; Fernsehen; Fernsehtechnik
Abstract	The game of Plinko offers students an exciting real-world example of the applications of probability and data analysis. The Common Core State Standards for Mathematics (CCSSI 2010) and the Guidelines for Assessment in Statistics Education (GAISE) (Franklin et al. 2007) suggest that students in grades 6-8 be given ample opportunities to engage in activities and simulations to make predictions and to gather experimental data to test and validate their predictions. Plinko-based mathematical explorations allow students to use technology to generate simulations and employ the data to make informed predictions and inferences. Several mathematical concepts can be explored using a Plinko board. Documented Plinko-related mathematical investigations have highlighted high school students' notions of Pascal's triangle, experimental and theoretical probability, and expected value (Lanier and Barrs 2003; Lemon 1997; Haws 1995). For this lesson, the authors made a conscious decision to focus on experimental probability because the goals were to give students an opportunity to engage in an interesting activity, perform simulations, generate conjectures, and use experimental data to test the conjectures. This approach aligns with the Guidelines for Assessment and Instruction in Statistics Education (GAISE) recommendations that "probability experiments should focus on obtaining empirical data to develop relative frequency interpretations" (Franklin et al. 2007, p. 34). This article describes how students design game boards and gather experimental data to better understand the hidden mathematics in a common television game show. A bibliography is provided. (ERIC).
Anmerkungen	National Council of Teachers of Mathematics. 1906 Association Drive, Reston, VA 20191-1502. Tel: 800-235-7566; Tel: 703-620-3702; Fax: 703-476-2970; e-mail: orders@nctm.org; Web site: http://www.nctm.org/publications/
Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2017/4/10