Experimental probability

problem

Win or Lose?

Age

14 to 16

Challenge level

A gambler bets half the money in his pocket on the toss of a coin, winning an equal amount for a head and losing his money if the result is a tail. After 2n plays he has won exactly n times. Has he more money than he started with?
problem

Thank Your Lucky Stars

Age

14 to 16

Challenge level

A counter is placed in the bottom right hand corner of a grid. You toss a coin and move the star according to the following rules: ... What is the probability that you end up in the top left-hand corner of the grid?
problem

Succession in Randomia

Age

16 to 18

Challenge level

By tossing a coin one of three princes is chosen to be the next King of Randomia. Does each prince have an equal chance of taking the throne?
problem

X-Dice

Age

16 to 18

Challenge level

Explore these X-dice with numbers other than 1 to 6 on their faces. Which one is best?
problem

The Derren Brown Coin Flipping Scam

Age

16 to 18

Challenge level

Calculate probabilities associated with the Derren Brown coin scam in which he flipped 10 heads in a row.
article
The Mean Game

Edward Wallace based his A Level Statistics Project on The Mean Game. Each picks 2 numbers. The winner is the player who picks a number closest to the mean of all the numbers picked.
project
Investigating Epidemics

11 to 16

Simple models which help us to investigate how epidemics grow and die out.
article
The Random World

Think that a coin toss is 50-50 heads or tails? Read on to appreciate the ever-changing and random nature of the world in which we live.
article
Taking Chances Extended

This article, for students and teachers, is mainly about probability, the mathematical way of looking at random chance.