Lesson 2: Calculating Simple Probability

About 30 minutes — Activity-based lesson

What You Will Learn

This lesson covers:

The probability formula: favorable outcomes / total outcomes
Coin flips: 1 favorable out of 2 total = 1/2
Dice rolls: 1 favorable out of 6 total = 1/6
Activity: calculate probabilities for coins, dice, spinners, and card draws

The probability formula: favorable outcomes / total outcomes

This section covers the key ideas about the probability formula: favorable outcomes / total outcomes. Discuss with your group or family and explore the concepts together.

Coin flips: 1 favorable out of 2 total = 1/2

This section covers the key ideas about coin flips: 1 favorable out of 2 total = 1/2. Discuss with your group or family and explore the concepts together.

Dice rolls: 1 favorable out of 6 total = 1/6

This section covers the key ideas about dice rolls: 1 favorable out of 6 total = 1/6. Discuss with your group or family and explore the concepts together.

Activity: calculate probabilities for coins, dice, spinners, and card draws

This section covers the key ideas about activity: calculate probabilities for coins, dice, spinners, and card draws. Discuss with your group or family and explore the concepts together.

Check Your Understanding

1. How do you calculate probability?

Answer: Probability = number of favorable outcomes ÷ total number of possible outcomes. For rolling a 3 on a die: 1 favorable ÷ 6 total = 1/6.

2. What is the probability of flipping heads on a fair coin?

Answer: 1/2 or 50%. There is 1 favorable outcome (heads) out of 2 possible outcomes (heads or tails).

3. What is the probability of rolling an even number on a die?

Answer: 3/6 = 1/2 or 50%. There are 3 even numbers (2, 4, 6) out of 6 total outcomes.

4. Can probability be greater than 1 or less than 0?

Answer: No! Probability always falls between 0 (impossible) and 1 (certain). If you get a number outside this range, you made a calculation error.

Key Takeaways

The probability formula: favorable outcomes / total outcomes
Coin flips: 1 favorable out of 2 total = 1/2
Dice rolls: 1 favorable out of 6 total = 1/6
Activity: calculate probabilities for coins, dice, spinners, and card draws

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