Making Organized Lists For Probability
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The document discusses using lists to systematically enumerate all possible outcomes when calculating probabilities. It provides examples of using lists to determine the number of options available for Matt's weekend trip and the number of possible pairs that can be formed from the girl and boy finalists for the science fair. Making lists allows you to visualize all outcomes rather than trying to keep track of them mentally.
Making Organized Lists For Probability
- 1. Lists for Probability Monday, February 22, 2010
- 2. Why Bother? The point of using a list for probability is that it allows you to SEE all the possible outcomes. It’s a lot easier than keeping up with it in your head and trying to remember whether or not you repeated an outcome or let one out.
- 3. When to Use a List When you have to find lots of outcomes “Matt wants to take a 3-day weekend trip to visit his grandparents. He can take either Friday or Monday off from work, and he can either fly, drive, take a train, or take a bus. How many options are available to Matt?”
- 4. Using the List In this problem, I would start with Friday and make a list of all the ways he could travel on Friday to see his grandparents. Friday by flying Friday by driving Friday by train Friday by bus This means there are 4 outcomes for Friday. But what about Monday? Monday by flying Monday by driving Monday by train Monday by bus
- 5. Using a List We just saw that there were 4 total outcomes for Friday and 4 total outcomes for Monday, totaling 8 possible outcomes for Matt’s trip to visit his grandparents.
- 6. Using a List “One girl and one boy will be chosen to go to the state science fair. The girl finalists are Alia, Brenda, Cathy, Deb, and Erika. The boy finalists are Frank, Greg, and Hal. How many different pairs of one girl and one boy can be formed?” Make a list!!!
- 7. Using a List Starting with Frank: Frank & Alia Frank & Brenda Frank & Cathy Frank & Deb Frank & Erika Moving to Greg: Greg & Alia Greg & Brenda Greg & Cathy Greg & Deb Greg & Erika Next with Hal: Hal & Alia Hal & Brenda Hal & Cathy Hal & Deb Hal & Erika How many possible outcomes? Now you just have to count…15!