Activities to Teach Students Independence and Conditional Probability
![](https://dev.theedadvocate.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/DSC_9981-660x400.jpg)
Independence and conditional probability are essential concepts that students learn in mathematics. While these concepts may seem confusing at first, they are crucial for understanding probability and real-world decision-making.
To teach students independence, you can use activities that involve two events occurring:
1. Rolling Dice Game
Have students roll two dice and record their results. Ask students to find the probability of rolling a six on one die and a four on the second die. Then ask students what the probability of rolling a six on the second roll (given that a six was rolled on the first one) is. Students can then determine whether the first and second roll events are independent or dependent.
2. Coin Tossing
Have students toss a coin and record the results. Ask them to find the probability of getting heads on the next toss (given that tails was obtained on the first toss). Then, they can determine whether the events are independent or dependent based on their results.
3. Card Drawing
Have students draw two cards from a standard deck of cards and record their results. Ask them to find the probability of drawing a king on the first card and a queen on the second card. Then, ask students to determine whether the two events are independent or dependent based on their results.
To teach conditional probability, you can use the following activities:
1. M&M Experiment
Take a bag of M&Ms and have students randomly pick two M&Ms and record their colors. Then ask them to find the probability of drawing a yellow M&M on the second grab, given that a red M&M was drawn first.
2. Survey Analysis
Ask students to survey their classmates about their favorite sports teams. Have them calculate the probability of a student’s favorite team being the Lakers, given that the student is an avid basketball fan.
3. Board Game
Have students play a board game where they need to use conditional probability to determine the best way to proceed. For example, in the game of Clue, players can use information gathered by other players to determine which room a murder was committed in.
In conclusion, there are many activities that teachers can use to teach independence and conditional probability. These activities can range from dice games to survey analysis to board games. By engaging students in real-life situations, they can better understand how these concepts apply to their daily lives.