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Scratch file designed by Linda Fahlberg-Stojanovska.

Activity Notes

We have 6 balls - 3 Reds and 3 Greens. We drop them randomly into 3 boxes.
What combinations are possible?

The following two events are mutually exclusive and complete.
(a) All 3 boxes will have 1R&1G.
   We call this event: MIXED colors.
       

(b) box 2G, box 2R, box 1R&1G.
   We call this event: SEPARATE colors.
       

Guided Activity

Do the experiment 500-1000 times.

  • What is the percent of mixed?
  • What is the percent of separate?

Now for some dreaded theory ...

Suppose you drop two same colored balls into the first box.

  • What combination of balls remain?
  • How many different ways can the remaining balls drop into the other boxes? What events occur?
  • What are the chances that you will drop two same colored balls into the first box?

Suppose you drop two different colored balls into the first box.

  • What combination of balls remain?
Here: see 4 Balls - 2 Reds and 2 Greens Drop into 2 Boxes
  • How many different ways can these remaining balls drop into the other boxes? What events occur?
  • What are the chances that you will drop two different colored balls into the first box?
  • What are the theoretical probabilities of the two events:mixed and separate?

*Does your theory match your experiment?

"Mutually exclusive" meaning both events cannot happen at same time and "complete" meaning no other event can occur.

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Page last modified on January 27, 2009, at 10:31 AM