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ERIC Number: EJ867464
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2009-Dec
Pages: 4
Abstractor: ERIC
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0025-5769
EISSN: N/A
Technology Tips: Simulation with the TI-Nspire
Rudolph, Heidi J.
Mathematics Teacher, v103 n5 p372-375 Dec 2009
Simulation is an important learning tool that allows students to grasp probability concepts, especially when the actual scenario does not need to be replicated entirely. In the cases of tossing coins and rolling dice, gathering the data before analyzing them can be laborious and might be a waste of precious class time--time that might be better spent discussing different possible outcomes or comparing theoretical with experimental results. The TI-Nspire can generate hundreds of data values, through the randInt function, in a spreadsheet for graphing and analysis. TI-Nspire's user-friendly calculator application, spreadsheet window, and data and statistics application facilitate a variety of simulations for students of varying levels of ability and computer proficiency. In this article, the author shows how to simulate rolling a pair of dice, finding the mean and graphing the data as an entree to simulating other mathematical modeling. The author presents a simulation activity that begins with "random" numbers and provides instructions based on TI-Nspire's OS 1.7 version in which commands and screens may differ for calculators with earlier or later operating systems. (Contains 9 figures.)
National Council of Teachers of Mathematics. 1906 Association Drive, Reston, VA 20191-1502. Tel: 800-235-7566; Tel: 703-620-3702; Fax: 703-476-2970; e-mail: orders@nctm.org; Web site: http://www.nctm.org/publications/
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Descriptive
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A