Activity Detail

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	Heads Up! (continued)

Activity Overview

In this activity, students explore how to write and enter a calculator program that will simulate coin tossing for a given number of times and count the number of heads and tails. They analyze the program and modify it.

Before the Activity

Set the calculator in Alpha mode

See the attached PDF file for detailed instructions for this activity

Print pages 51 ? 59 from the attached PDF file for your class

Activity Downloads:

(file types)

Graph_Calc_Acts_MS_Act06.pdf

During the Activity

Distribute the pages to the class.

Follow the Activity procedures:

Set up the calculator to accept a new program

Enter a name for the program

Enter the program commands; setting a prompt that allows the user to enter the number of coin tosses to be simulated and a pause that allows the user to view the result after each coin toss

Run the program on the calculator and enter the number of trials

Analyze the data generated by the program

Predict the consequences of removing the Pause command from the program code

Delete the Pause command from the program

Run the program again, and check the prediction

Edit the program to include the count of heads and tails in the coin toss simulation

Observe that the program allows one to conduct the simulation many times, quickly, and displays the results for analysis

After the Activity

Students answer the questions.

Review student results:

As a class, discuss questions that appeared to be more challenging

Re-teach concepts as necessary

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