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Pattern pursuit

Students identify, describe and create repeating patterns.

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Multi-bets

In this lesson, students will calculate both the payout and the odds for various multi-bets, demonstrating how even this increased payout does not match the probability of achieving such a bet, and therefore the risk and appeal of the bet should be weighed up. The lesson is outlined in detail including NSW curriculum links, ...

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Easter Show games of chance

In this lesson, students will calculate the probability of an average person scoring a shot at a basketball game at the Easter Show. They will then use these probabilities to design a payout system which can absorb the losses from an average player winning big, whilst profiting from the average player who scores very poorly, ...

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Should you swap?

This lesson explores the classic probability problem, commonly known as the Monty Hall problem: having chosen what you think is the winning door with the money behind it, should you swap to another door when Monty offers you the opportunity? Students will first use probability language to define the problem. Students will ...

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Loot boxes

In this lesson, students will create their own video game concept, complete with a loot box system. They will then calculate the probability of obtaining all unique items to form a complete set, considering the challenges this random system entails and how the gambling system inherent could lead to unexpected losses. The ...

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What’s the cost?

This lesson explores gambling losses by comparing losses to other average household purchases. Students then explore how this money could be more profitably invested in a compound interest scheme over time. Finally, students are asked to critically reflect on the true social and financial cost of gambling and to consider ...

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Sports betting

In this lesson students will take ownership of a gambling organisation. They will look at long term statistics of various sporting matches to set the initial odds and then monitor live betting to adjust the odds they are offering gamblers, in order to demonstrate how sports betting organisations guarantee they always make ...

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Mathematics of bushfire

In these classroom activities students will be introduced to some of the basic mathematical principles that underpin wildfire science, with an emphasis on how theoretical concepts are used to aid our understanding of the real world, and bushfire in particular. They will learn about the complexities of the fire management ...

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Two-up - The fairest game of all?

In this lesson, students look at the history and mathematics of Two-Up, exploring why it is considered such a fair game, and how the ‘boxer’ or game runner makes a profit. The lesson is outlined in detail including NSW curriculum links, learning intentions, discussion points, materials required, links to supporting videos ...

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How does gambling on the races work?

This lesson simulates the operation of a bookmaker to illustrate to students how easy it is to get swept up in the excitement of a race, and to show how the bookmakers are always coming out having made a profit. The lesson is outlined in detail including NSW curriculum links, learning intentions, discussion points, materials ...

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Assessment task: Chuck-a-Luck

This assessment includes a number of questions to enable students to demonstrate their understanding and learning in probability. Students will be asked to investigate an old gambling game known as Chuck-a-Luck. They will calculate the probabilities of each betting option and their expected values. The assessment task is ...

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Assessment task: Non-transitive dice

This assessment includes a number of questions to enable students to demonstrate their understanding and learning in probability. Students will be asked to explore the outcomes of a set of non-transitive dice using probability tree diagrams, and discover their unique features. The assessment task is outlined in detail including ...

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Poker machines (simulation)

This lesson explores how poker machines work and what is meant by the term Return to Player (RTP) percentage. Students run simulations to determine how small betting amounts can lead to a large cumulative loss over time and examine how reinvesting profits or wins from playing the poker machine back into the machine has ...

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Prediction vs. reality

This lesson explores how we perceive randomness. Students toss coins and record their observations while half of the class fake their results. They will then explore the differences between the random results and fake results sets and investigate theoretical probabilities for large numbers of coin flips. The lesson is outlined ...

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The wide wide world of sports betting

This lesson explores the difference between perfectly predictable events (like the roll of a die) and less certain events (such as sports). Students investigate mathematically how sports bookmakers create odds to guarantee themselves a profit and pay gamblers less for a win than they deserve. The lesson is outlined in ...

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Geometry of water sources and landforms

Indigenous cultures have always been deeply aware of the location of water and its significance. In this resource students will apply geometric, trigonometric, and algebraic techniques to analyse idealised water body shapes and associated landforms. They will calculate surface areas, volumes, angles, and heights of these ...

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Introduction to games of chance

This lesson explores how to predict outcomes of games of chance. Students investigate the concepts of luck, skill and fairness, using dice games. They calculate probabilities for one and two dice rolls and compare the odds for different combinations of dice in a variety of game scenarios. The lesson is outlined in detail ...

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Lotto mania

In this lesson, students will simulate a lottery, and perform calculations to determine the small probability of their exact numbers being drawn from a lottery. They will also consider the financial investment that would be required to guarantee a lottery win, ultimately determining that such a strategy would end up costing ...

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Can you beat the system?

In this lesson, students calculate the average expected value of losses on a roulette wheel over time, and use these values to analyse the cost of gambling on these games. They also study the flaws inherent in betting systems to determine whether these systems are weighted in the favour of game operators making a profit. ...

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Mathematics, moon phases, and tides

Through this activity, students will learn the relationship between lunar phases and tides, graphically plotting the tidal range versus Moon phase over an annual cycle for a selected Australian port, as well as determining the mean tidal range for each lunar phase. Students will then focus on determining the relationship ...