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Blaise Pascal (19 June 1623 – 19 August 1662) was a French mathematician, physicist, inventor, philosopher, writer, and Catholic theologian credited with being the first writer on probability theory.

UNDERSTANDING PROBABILITY

What is the chance that two people share a birthday?

Key questions

  1. What is probability?

  2. Can we find simple theoretical probabilities?

  3. What is relative frequency and the law of large numbers?

  4. Can we apply systematic listing strategies?

  5. What is the product rule for counting?

7 lessons

Specification detail

binomial expansion.png

Literacy

  • stories that set a frame or background

  • stories that accompany or intertwine

  • stories that introduce

  • stories that explain

  • stories that ask a question

  • stories that entertain

The Number Devil by Hans Magnus Enzensburger

A Very Improbable Story by Edward Einhorn

Conned again, Watson

Pascal

Fermat

Introduce...

dibingo - 1, 2, 3, 4

Develop...

probability games - 1, 2, 3, 4

Extend...

monty hall - 1, 2, 3, 4

quincunx - 2, 4

yahtzee - 1, 2, 3, 4

macmahon triangles - 4

birthday paradox - 2, 3

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