NAME _____________________________________________ DATE ____________________________ PERIOD _____________
3-4
Simulations
A simulation is an experiment that is designed to act out a given situation. Simulations often use models to act out
events that would be difficult to perform.
Example 1
The weather forecast states that there is a 75% chance of snow tomorrow. Describe a method you could use to
simulate this situation.
75
3
75% = 100 or 4
Write 75% as a fraction in simplest form.
1
Since there is a 75% chance of snow, there is a 25% or chance that it will not snow. Place 3 red marbles to represent
4
snow, and 1 blue marble to represent no snow in a bag and randomly pick one marble. Repeat this selection several times
to find the experimental probability that it will snow tomorrow.
Example 2
A fresh-squeezed juice store offers 5 different types of fruit juice in a small or large size. If each type of juice and
size is equally likely to be chosen, describe a model that could be used to simulate the orders of the next 6
customers.
Since there are 5 types of juices and 2 sizes, choose a method that has 10 possible outcomes, such as tossing a coin and
spinning a spinner that has 5 equal sections. Let each specific outcome represent a different choice.
Toss the coin and spin the spinner 6 times to simulate the choices made by 6 customers.
Exercises
For Exercises 1– 4, describe a model that can be used to simulate the given situation.
1. GAMES A game requires drawing balls numbered 1 through 6 for each of 5 digits to determine the winning number.
Describe a model that could be used to simulate the selection of the number.
2. TESTING The questions on a multiple-choice test each have 3 answer choices. Describe a model that you could use
to simulate the outcome of guessing the answers to a 25-question test.
3. WEATHER The weather forecast states that there is a 35% chance of rain tomorrow. Describe a method you could
use to model this situation.
4. TEAMS Mr. Jenkins needs to choose 3 captains randomly for teams for a game. If there are 15 students in his
classroom, describe a model that he could use to simulate choosing these 3 captains.
Probability
143
NAME _____________________________________________ DATE ____________________________ PERIOD _____________
Skills Practice
Simulations
1. QUIZZES Describe a situation that you could use to answer a 15-question quiz, if five questions are true or false
questions.
2. PRIZES During the grand opening of a fast food restaurant, every person that comes to the restaurant receives a
prize. There are 6 different prizes. Describe a model that could be used to simulate which prizes the first 75
customers will receive.
3. STUDENT COUNCIL Mrs. Corley wants to randomly choose 3 students to represent her homeroom on student
council. There are 30 students in the class. Describe a model that could be used to simulate this situation.
4. SALES A music store has determined that 65% of customers who buy a compact disc buy a pop music compact disc.
Describe a model that you could use to simulate a CD purchase.
5. SANDWICHES A sandwich shop offers 6 different types of sandwiches on either white or wheat bread. If each type
of sandwich and bread is equally likely to be chosen by a customer, describe a model that could be used to simulate
the orders of the next 10 customers.
Probability
143
NAME _____________________________________________ DATE ____________________________ PERIOD _____________
Homework Practice
Simulations
1. STATE FAIR At a state fair, there are 10 animal exhibits, 12 gardening exhibits, and 8 farm equipment exhibits.
Describe a model that you could use to simulate randomly choosing an exhibit to visit.
2. WEATHER Suppose during springtime it rains about 40% of the time when school is dismissed for the day. Describe
a model that could be used to simulate whether it will be raining when school is dismissed on a particular day during
springtime.
For Exercises 3 and 4, use the following information.
A sports company randomly sends out various cards of 8 different sports.
3. Describe a model that could be used to simulate which sport would be sent out. Explain.
4. How could this simulation be used to determine the sport of the next 20 cards the company sends out.
5. EXPERIMENT Suppose a lab rat enters the box with four
openings as shown. If each decision about the direction is
made at random, create a simulation to determine the
probability that the lab rat will leave the box before going
through 5 intersections.
For Exercises 6–9, describe a situation that can be modeled using the given simulation.
6. spinning a spinner with 6 equal sections and tossing a coin
7. tossing four coins
8. rolling a number cube and tossing a coin
9. 1 marble chosen from a bag containing 11 red marbles and 4 blue marbles
Probability
143
NAME _____________________________________________ DATE ____________________________ PERIOD _____________
Problem-Solving Practice
Simulations
For Exercises 1–6, describe a model that can be used to simulate the given situation.
1. CARNIVALS Players at a carnival game win about 40% 2. WEATHER On average, 66% of the days in Seattle,
of the time. Describe a model that could be used to
Washington, are cloudy or rainy. Describe a model
simulate the outcomes of playing this game.
that you could use to simulate this situation.
3. SNACKS An ice cream parlor offers 12 flavors of ice
cream. Describe a model that could be used to simulate
randomly selecting a certain type of ice cream.
4. GAMES A game requires drawing tiles with letters A
through E for each of 8 slots to determine the winning
code. Describe a model that could be used to simulate
the selection of the number
5. QUESTIONS A teacher wants to randomly choose 4
students to answer a series of questions. If there are 20
students in the classroom, describe a model that the
teacher could use to simulate choosing these 4 students.
6. PRIZES A cereal company is placing one of 6 different
tickets into its boxes of cereal. If each ticket is equally
likely to appear in a box of cereal, describe a model
that could be used to simulate the tickets that you
would find in 50 boxes of cereal.
Probability
143