CCSS.Math.7.SP.5-8 Theoretical and Experimental Probability

Good day to all,

Now that you have a feel for Probability, we will add to your knowledge and learn about Theoretical and Experimental Probability.  Let's talk about the experimental probability first...... This is when you ACTUAL do the the experiment.  For example:  if you are dropping a number cube ( 1,2,3,4,5,6), and you tally all the times that the cube lands on 6 after doing this for 5 minutes- this is experimental as you actually did this.  Experiment Probability is not always the same odds as theoretical -  but the longer you do the experiment, the closer it gets to the Theoretical odds.  Theoretical Probability is what SHOULD happen.  So if you are choosing a number off the number cube, the odds are the same for each number- 1 out of 6.  This is also know as uniform probability.  If there is a discrepancy between the Experimental and the Theoretical Probability, then that could mean that you have not done the experiment enough times.  The more times you do the experiment, the closer it gets to Theoretical.  

As always in MATH,

Mrs M