Probabilty - Binomial - a simulation game?

[Guest]

Hello,
Life has presented me with an opportunity to teach some math to
children/young adults with challenging backgrounds. Many have come a long way
and want to pursue more challenging material. I want to teach them more about
probability and want to design an Excel simulation. My idea was to get them
to work out how variables altered probability.

Specifically I am looking for help to develop a game where students would
alter variables "probability" (expressed as a ratio or percentage) of picking
a colored ball from a bag. So if they said there were three red balls, 4
blue, six white etc. the simulation would calculate the probability of each
ball. And I'd like to show them the impact of selecting "out" or "in" where
"out" is keeping the ball (and all others selected) out of the bag for
subsequent turns and "in" is putting the ball back in the bag. Then a random
generator would be used to "pick" the next ball and excel would display a
cell of the matching ball color. I then want excel to show some statistics
like comparison of theoretical probability to outcome (to show sample size
variance), the number of times in a row a particular ball was drawn (as in a
streak).

I know the math but am a baby beginner at Excel programming. It looks like
from the help that a Binomial distribution is the function with a rounded
random function for selection. Am I on the right track? Any ideas on "out"
and "in"?

Thanks very much for your help

Rob

 

[vandenberg p]

Hello:

I think I have a little model of what you wanted. It is not complete,
it does not have all feathers that you mentioned. But it should
give you a start. Here is the file:

ftp://rohan.sdsu.edu/faculty/vandenberg/Game.zip

When you try to use it, your macro security will probably complain.
You will need to allow the macros to execute.

Pieter Vandenberg


: Hello,
: Life has presented me with an opportunity to teach some math to
: children/young adults with challenging backgrounds. Many have come a long way
: and want to pursue more challenging material. I want to teach them more about
: probability and want to design an Excel simulation. My idea was to get them
: to work out how variables altered probability.

: Specifically I am looking for help to develop a game where students would
: alter variables "probability" (expressed as a ratio or percentage) of picking
: a colored ball from a bag. So if they said there were three red balls, 4
: blue, six white etc. the simulation would calculate the probability of each
: ball. And I'd like to show them the impact of selecting "out" or "in" where
: "out" is keeping the ball (and all others selected) out of the bag for
: subsequent turns and "in" is putting the ball back in the bag. Then a random
: generator would be used to "pick" the next ball and excel would display a
: cell of the matching ball color. I then want excel to show some statistics
: like comparison of theoretical probability to outcome (to show sample size
: variance), the number of times in a row a particular ball was drawn (as in a
: streak).

: I know the math but am a baby beginner at Excel programming. It looks like
: from the help that a Binomial distribution is the function with a rounded
: random function for selection. Am I on the right track? Any ideas on "out"
: and "in"?

: Thanks very much for your help

: Rob

 

[vandenberg p]

Sorry, "feathers" are sometimes also known as "the features"

: Hello:

: I think I have a little model of what you wanted. It is not complete,
: it does not have all feathers that you mentioned. But it should
: give you a start. Here is the file:

: ftp://rohan.sdsu.edu/faculty/vandenberg/Game.zip

: When you try to use it, your macro security will probably complain.
: You will need to allow the macros to execute.

: Pieter Vandenberg


: : Hello,
: : Life has presented me with an opportunity to teach some math to
: : children/young adults with challenging backgrounds. Many have come a long way
: : and want to pursue more challenging material. I want to teach them more about
: : probability and want to design an Excel simulation. My idea was to get them
: : to work out how variables altered probability.

: : Specifically I am looking for help to develop a game where students would
: : alter variables "probability" (expressed as a ratio or percentage) of picking
: : a colored ball from a bag. So if they said there were three red balls, 4
: : blue, six white etc. the simulation would calculate the probability of each
: : ball. And I'd like to show them the impact of selecting "out" or "in" where
: : "out" is keeping the ball (and all others selected) out of the bag for
: : subsequent turns and "in" is putting the ball back in the bag. Then a random
: : generator would be used to "pick" the next ball and excel would display a
: : cell of the matching ball color. I then want excel to show some statistics
: : like comparison of theoretical probability to outcome (to show sample size
: : variance), the number of times in a row a particular ball was drawn (as in a
: : streak).

: : I know the math but am a baby beginner at Excel programming. It looks like
: : from the help that a Binomial distribution is the function with a rounded
: : random function for selection. Am I on the right track? Any ideas on "out"
: : and "in"?

: : Thanks very much for your help

: : Rob

 

[Guest]

Pieter, that is extremely generous of you. Thanks you so VERY much!

 

[vandenberg p]

Rob:

Hope it works for you. Post back if you have any further questions.

Pieter Vandenberg

: Pieter, that is extremely generous of you. Thanks you so VERY much!

: "vandenberg p" wrote:

:> Hello:
:>
:> I think I have a little model of what you wanted. It is not complete,
:> it does not have all feathers that you mentioned. But it should
:> give you a start. Here is the file:
:>
:> ftp://rohan.sdsu.edu/faculty/vandenberg/Game.zip
:>
:> When you try to use it, your macro security will probably complain.
:> You will need to allow the macros to execute.
:>
:> Pieter Vandenberg
:>
:>
:> : Hello,
:> : Life has presented me with an opportunity to teach some math to
:> : children/young adults with challenging backgrounds. Many have come a long way
:> : and want to pursue more challenging material. I want to teach them more about
:> : probability and want to design an Excel simulation. My idea was to get them
:> : to work out how variables altered probability.
:>
:> : Specifically I am looking for help to develop a game where students would
:> : alter variables "probability" (expressed as a ratio or percentage) of picking
:> : a colored ball from a bag. So if they said there were three red balls, 4
:> : blue, six white etc. the simulation would calculate the probability of each
:> : ball. And I'd like to show them the impact of selecting "out" or "in" where
:> : "out" is keeping the ball (and all others selected) out of the bag for
:> : subsequent turns and "in" is putting the ball back in the bag. Then a random
:> : generator would be used to "pick" the next ball and excel would display a
:> : cell of the matching ball color. I then want excel to show some statistics
:> : like comparison of theoretical probability to outcome (to show sample size
:> : variance), the number of times in a row a particular ball was drawn (as in a
:> : streak).
:>
:> : I know the math but am a baby beginner at Excel programming. It looks like
:> : from the help that a Binomial distribution is the function with a rounded
:> : random function for selection. Am I on the right track? Any ideas on "out"
:> : and "in"?
:>
:> : Thanks very much for your help
:>
:> : Rob
:>