Education Technology

The Spread of Disease

Subject Area
Math: Statistics: Probability and Random Variables
Level
9-12
Activity Time
60 Minutes
Software
TI Connect™
TI Calculator
TI-83 Plus Family
TI-84 Plus
TI-84 Plus Silver Edition
Other Materials
This is Activity 5 from the EXPLORATIONS Book:
Exploring Mathematics with the Probability Simulation Application
Resource Types
Lessons

The Spread of Disease

Activity Overview

In this activity, students simulate the spread of a disease in a population. They use the Probability Simulation application to learn that certain sums occur more often than others because of combinations of addends of those sums.

Before the Activity

Install the Probability Simulation Application on the calculator using one of these two methods:

  • TI Connect™, a TI Connectivity Cable, and the Unit-to-Unit Link Cable
  • TI-Navigator™ "send to class" feature
  • See the attached PDF file for detailed instructions for this activity
  • Print pages 61 - 66 from the attached PDF file for your class

During the Activity

Distribute pages to your class.

Follow the Activity procedures:

  • Assign random numbers to students
  • Allow students to move around in a classroom
  • Note the ID of the student they come in contact with
  • Start the Probability Simulation Application
  • Students use the application to simulate the rolling of 2 dice and record the sum
  • Randomly select an ID that represents the first person to be infected
  • Randomly select a sum that represents a contagious outcome
  • Contagiousness is determined by using the simulation to roll 2 dice and recording the sum
  • Students note down encounters with the infected person and also if the person is contagious
  • Identify newly infected students
  • Graph the stage number versus the number of people infected at that stage and observe trends
  • Observe that in the list of all possible sums of two dice, certain sums are more likely to occur
  • Understand how more students get infected as the stage number increases
  • After the Activity

    Students will complete the Student Worksheet and answer questions.

    Review student results:

  • As a class, discuss questions that appeared to be more challenging
  • Re-teach concepts as necessary
  • Subject Area
    Math: Statistics: Probability and Random Variables
    Level
    9-12
    Activity Time
    60 Minutes
    Software
    TI Connect™
    TI Calculator
    TI-83 Plus Family
    TI-84 Plus
    TI-84 Plus Silver Edition
    Other Materials
    This is Activity 5 from the EXPLORATIONS Book:
    Exploring Mathematics with the Probability Simulation Application
    Resource Types
    Lessons
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    Vernier EasyData,Vernier EasyLink and Vernier EasyTemp are registered trademarks of Vernier Science Education.