Group Activity

Lesson 4: Problems involving probabilities of events Page 1

Snake Eyes on the SAT

Dice are a great way to teach students about probability. The
different combinations they offer are the perfect grounds for many SAT
questions. For instance, your teen might need to answer a question
such as, Whats the probability that the total of two rolled dice will be
9?
Heres a quick game that will help your student figure out and
remember the difference between rolling Snake Eyes and Lucky
Number Seven!
What You Need:
A pair of dice, two different colors (Ill use red and blue for
examples)
A piece of paper
Some M&Ms or another little treat

What You Do:

1. Tell your teen that youre going to learn all about dice and
probability.
2. Ask him how many different ways there are to roll 2 dice. Remind
him that there are 6 options on both sides. Together, you can
determine that there are 6 x 6 = 36 possible rolls.
3. Ask him how many ways there are to roll a total of 2 using two
dice. After thinking, he should conclude that theres only one
way: 1 + 1
4. Ask him how many ways there are to roll a total of 7. He should
come up with 6 ways: 1 + 6, 6 + 1, 2 + 5, 5 + 2, 3 + 4, and 4 + 3.

5. Time to figure out all of the rolls. Have him fill out the last two
columns of the following chart. He has already figured out 2 and
7, and he can do the rest the same way.


Group Activity

Lesson 4: Problems involving probabilities of events Page 2


Total to Roll Ways to Get the Total Probability of that Roll
2 1 1 /36
3 / 36
4 / 36
5 / 36
6 / 36
7 6 6 /36 = 1/6
8 / 36
9 / 36
10 / 36
11 / 36
12 / 36


6. When hes done, the chart should look like this:

Total to Roll Ways to Get the Total Probability of that Roll
2 1 1 / 36
3 2 2 / 36 = 1/18
4 3 3 / 36 = 1/12
5 4 4 / 36 = 1/9
6 5 5 / 36
7 6 6 / 36 = 1/6
8 5 5 / 36
9 4 4 / 36 = 1/9
10 3 3 / 36 = 1/12
11 2 2 / 36 = 1/18
12 1 1 / 36

7. Heres a dice challenge for him. First, tell him the roll you want him
to try and get. Then, give him two opportunities to win a reward
(like a small piece of candy.) He can win an award if he rolls what
you asked him to get. And, he can win another award for guessing
the correct probability of rolling what youve asked of him. Good
luck!
Roll a total of 9 (1/9)
Roll a total of 11 (1/18)
Group Activity

Lesson 4: Problems involving probabilities of events Page 3

Roll a total of 8 (5/36)
Roll a total of 12 (1/36)
Roll a total of 5 (1/9)
Roll a 7 or an 11 (6/36 + 2/36 = 8/36 = 2/9)
Roll a 2 or 6 (1/36 + 5/36 = 6/36 = 1/6 )
Roll a 2 or a 6 or a 7 or an 11 (1/36 + 5/36 + 6/36 +
2/36 = 14/36 = 7/18)
You can make up your own as you go


















Group Activity

Lesson 4: Problems involving probabilities of events Page 4


The Monty Hall Problem

Probability problems are often among the hardest math concepts
for students to wrap their heads around. Often, your common sense
says one thingbut the answer is something else entirely! The only
way to really hammer this concept home is through practice, practice,
practice, but it doesn't have to be all work and no fun.
Here's a brainteaser that always leads to a lively debate. Youre
on the game show Lets Make a Deal, and Monty Hall is the host.
Your job: choose one of three doors. If you choose the door hiding a
car, youll win it! Otherwise, you win nothing.
What happens? You choose Door #1. Monty then opens the
second door, and its empty. Your door still might be right! But then,
he gives you the opportunity to switch to Door #3 before unveiling the
car. Should you switch, or should you stay? The answer is surprising,
and makes for a great lesson in probability. Here's how to turn this
conundrum into a fun math activity your teen will enjoy.
What You Need:
A printout of the problem below
Some people to debate it (Note: Dont look at the answer until
youre done with the debate!)

What You Do:
Read this scenario:
1. Youre on the game show Lets Make A Deal looking at 3 doors.
Behind one is a brand-new car. Behind the others are gag gifts.
You get to choose one door: if its the car, you win!
2. You choose Door #1. But before he unveils its contents, Monty
opens Door #2 and reveals a gag gift. You may have picked the
right door!
3. Monty asks if youd like to make a deal. If you want, you can
switch to Door #3.
4. What would switching do: improve your odds, worsen your odds,
or leave them the same?
5. Debate!
Group Activity

Lesson 4: Problems involving probabilities of events Page 5


Probability
Students often hear and occasionally use statements of
probability in their daily lives. They note the weather forecasts when
they wonder whether a game will be held or school canceled. They also
use more ambiguous general phrases such as not likely, no way, and
probably but, as with much of everyday speech, there are many
misuses of probability terminology and concepts.
Purpose: To introduce and develop the concept of probability.
Materials: Sack; marbles of two different colors - 100 of one color
(blue), 25 of another color (green).
Procedure:
A. Announce to the class: Lets do an experiment. We will try to
find out - without looking in the sack and counting - whether
there are more blue or more green marbles in the sack.
B. Have four students draw five marbles each from the sack. (Make
sure that the marbles are put back into the sack after each
draw.)
C. Have every student record the numbers and colors of marbles
for each of the four draws.
Questions to Ask and Answer:
1. On the basis of the first four draws how many marbles of each
color are there in the sack? D. Let each student in the rest of the
class draw five marbles each from the sack. (Be sure to put the
marbles back in the sack after each drawing.)
2. What are the totals for each color of marble?
3. Do you think there were more marbles of one color than the
other? Why?
4. If so, what do you think the ratio of one color to the other might
be? G. Open the sack and count the number of marbles of each
color.
5. What is the ratio of one color to the other color?


Group Activity

Lesson 4: Problems involving probabilities of events Page 6


Probability Word Problems
Games of Chance Lesson



Victor is waiting his turn to spin the
prize wheel below. Each of the 6 sectors of
the prize wheel is equal sizes. If Victor lands
on the 6 (orange) he wins $1,000 dollars. If
Victor lands on any other sector, he receives
nothing. If Victor has 2 chaces to spin the
prize wheel, what is the probability that he
will win the $1,000 prize?




6 1


5 2


4 3















Group Activity

Lesson 4: Problems involving probabilities of events Page 7



Evens and Odds
This is a simple game, where you throw a dice which controls the position
of your counter on a 3x3 board.


FINISH










START

Place your counter at the START square. Throw a dice.

If you get an even number, you move your counter one square upwards.

If you get an odd number, you move your counter one square left.

If your counter moves off any side of the board, you lose!

If your counter reaches the FINISH square, you have won.

Play the game a few times and see if you win.


How many odds and evens do you need to get to win?
What is the probability of winning?

Group Activity

Lesson 4: Problems involving probabilities of events Page 8