M3-17-47
From Inspire
| Random birthdays | Maths | Probability |
Overview:
Experiment with a random birthday applet.
You may:
- Generate a number (10, 15…) of random birthdays every time you press Start:
- The process is quicker if you click on Fast update
- Whenever two or more birthdays coincide, a coloured cell shows it
Suggestions:
You may:
- Assume you have a class with 30 students, for instance; run experiments to find the probability of 2 students having the same birthday
- Repeat for larger numbers (a 1000-person village, for instance) and find the probabilities of 2, 3, 4… people having the same birthday
- Answer questions like: how many people do you need to have a 50% probability of 2 of them having the same birthday?
You may also figure out the analytical formulae for these probabilities, and plot together the formulae and the data from the experiments for various runs.
Learning object available in:
| EN |
| DE |
| IT |
| LT |
| ES |
| CA |
Terms you need to know:
| Random |
| Birthday |
| Matches |
| Generate |
| Reset |
| Fast update |
| Start |
| Help |
| Grid |
| January |
| February |
| March |
| April |
| May |
| June |
| July |
| August |
| September |
| October |
| November |
| December |
Additional information:
| type: | animation |
| format: | java |
| Permission to(1): | |
| download: | yes? |
| modify: | no? |
| Further permissions: | |
| http://www-stat.stanford.edu/ | |
| Age group(2): | 17-21 |
Notes
(1) For personal, non-commercial use. To read the complete "Terms of use" of this learning object, please follow the link given in "Further permissions".
(2) Suggested age group. The learning object may be used by the Teachers with students of any age.
