Education Technology

NUMB3RS - Season 3 - "Longshot" - Expected Value

Subject Area
Math: Statistics: Data Analysis
Math: Statistics: Probability and Random Variables
Level
9-12
Activity Time
20 Minutes
TI Calculator
TI-84 series
Resource Types
Lessons

NUMB3RS - Season 3 - "Longshot" - Expected Value

Activity Overview

In "Longshot", a man is murdered after the horse he bet on won a race. A notebook filled with horse racing data and equations is found on the victim. Charlie finds that the equations were designed to pick the second place finisher. He explains that the racetrack uses a pari-mutuel betting system, in which the odds vary depending on the amounts wagered. In this activity, students will study the concept of pari-mutuel betting and expected value in the context of land claims.

Before the Activity

Download the attached PDF and look over the Teacher Page. Download the attached TI-Navigator files for use during the lesson.

During the Activity

Discuss the materials from the Student Page with your class.

After the Activity

Encourage students to explore Web sites and questions from the Extensions Page.

Subject Area
Math: Statistics: Data Analysis
Math: Statistics: Probability and Random Variables
Level
9-12
Activity Time
20 Minutes
TI Calculator
TI-84 series
Resource Types
Lessons
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