The lottery has rich potential for mathematical explorations. It serves as a real-world context to explore concepts of permutations, combinations, sample space, and probability in terms of making sense of the lottery games. The lottery offers additional possibilities in terms of scaling, data analysis, and spatial analysis. Finally, by readily…

Students are faced with many transitions in their middle school mathematics classes. To build knowledge, skills, and confidence in the key areas of algebra and geometry, students often need to practice using numbers and polygons in a variety of contexts. Teachers also want students to explore ideas from probability and statistics. Teachers know…

Instead of reserving the study of probability and statistics for special fourth-year high school courses, the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics (CCSSM) takes a "statistics for all" approach. The standards recommend that students in grades 6-8 learn to summarize and describe data distributions, understand probability, draw…

This article engages students in a simulation of the Coat Check problem, in which four women check their coats only to have them returned at random. Students examine the experimental and theoretical probability of at least one woman getting her own coat back.

This article introduces prediction as a useful tool to promote mathematical reasoning. First, the article addresses prediction expectations in state standards and gives examples. It also provides a classroom example and activities to illustrate what prediction can look like and how it can serve as a building block for the development of students'…

This article details an exploration of exponential decay and growth relationships using M&M's and dice. Students collect data for mathematical models and use graphing calculators to make sense of the general form of the exponential functions. (Contains 10 figures and 2 tables.)