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Spinners: match up

Learning objects Spinners: match up

TLF ID L2381

Predict the results of testing coloured spinners (dials with pointers). Choose two spinners that are likely to generate similar results. For example, choose a four-part spinner with two blue sectors and two yellow sectors. Match it with an equivalent spinner divided into blue and yellow halves. Test the pair of spinners over a number of spins. See what colour the pointer lands on each time. Watch the graph build and the numbers in the results table change after each spin. Compare the actual results with the expected results. Check whether spinners with the same proportion of each colour produce similar frequency graphs. This learning object is one in a series of six objects.

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Educational details

Key learning objectives
  • Students explore the difference between the information provided by short-run, medium-run and long-run data.
  • Students explore the relationship between sample space and likelihood of outcomes.
  • Students use proportional thinking to identify mathematically equivalent random generators.
Educational value
  • Students compare theoretical outcomes and actual results.
  • Includes a tool enabling the user to construct area-based random generators in the form of spinners and to run trials to generate both short-run (10 spins) and long-run (10 000) data.
  • The spinner tool maximises student choice, control and creativity as they explore the results from making various spinners.
  • Experimental results are dynamically displayed in a column graph and a table that shows both theoretical outcomes and actual results.
Year level

6

TopicsBackstage; Data analysis; Equivalent fractions; Experiments; Funding formulas; Likelihood; Probability; Proportions; Sampling (Statistics)
Learning area
  • mathematics
Strand
  • Mathematics/Statistics and probability
    Concept
    • Mathematics/Probability
    • Mathematics/Random events
    • Mathematics/Sampling
    • Mathematics/Statistics
    • Mathematics/Guess-Check-Improve
    • Mathematics/Experiments
    Skill
    • Analysis;
    • Application;
    • Comprehension;
    • Knowledge
    Student activity
    • Interactives;
    • Experiment;
    • Analysis;
    • Modelling;
    • Data manipulation and interpretation;
    • Estimation
    Learning design
    • Experiential learning;
    • Independent learning;
    • Problem solving;
    • Visual learning

    Other details

    Contributors
    • Technical implementer
    • Script writer
    • Name: Michael Wagner
    • Organisation: Godwin + Wagner
    • Address: Box Hill South VIC 3128 Australia
    • Subject matter expert
    • Name: Jenni Way
    • Address: Springwood NSW 2777 Australia
    • Educational validator
    • Name: Graham Jones
    • Address: Broadbeach QLD 4218 Australia
    • Publisher
    • Date of contribution: 20 Sep 2013
    • Organisation: Education Services Australia
    • Address: Melbourne VIC 3000 Australia
    • URL: http://www.esa.edu.au/
    Access profile
    • Device independence
    • Hearing independence
    Learning resource type
    • Interactive Resource
    Browsers
    • Microsoft Internet Explorer - minimum version: 8.0 (MS-Windows) - maximum version: 9.0 (MS-Windows)
    • Firefox - minimum version: (MS-Windows)
    • Safari - minimum version: 5.1 (MacOS)
    Operating systems
    • MacOS - minimum version: 10.6
    • MS-Windows - minimum version: XP - maximum version: 7
    Rights
    • © Education Services Australia Ltd, 2013, except where indicated under Acknowledgements.