Topic 6

Probability

Counting, permutations and combinations, theoretical vs. empirical probability, and expected value — anchored by Major Assignment 3.

First time here? Take a tour of the week.

180 pts 4 objectives

What you'll learn

Compare, compute and interpret theoretical and empirical probabilities.
Develop and use the fundamental counting principle.
Develop a procedure for finding expected value.
Compute and interpret expected values.

Point breakdown

180 pts total

DQ 1 5
DQ 2 5
Major Assignment 3: Probability 100
Homework (ALEKS) 15
Review (ALEKS, 6 questions) 35
Participation 20

Sections

Mini Lesson A quick read on the week's core ideas. ~250 words. DQ 1: Discussion Walkthrough, posting rhythm, and what the DQ is really asking. DQ 2: Discussion Walkthrough, posting rhythm, and what the DQ is really asking. Major Assignment 3: Statistical Analysis 2 components — walkthrough for each. Review Six worked questions to practice before ALEKS.

Interactive tools

Playground Expected Value Lab Define each outcome of a chance situation — value and probability — and watch E(X) compute live. Try the carnival, lottery, and insurance presets to see why every gambling operation is engineered for a negative expected value to the player. Playground Law of Large Numbers Simulator Pick coin, die, or a custom probability, then run trials in batches of 10, 100, 1,000, or 10,000. Watch the experimental probability bounce around at low n and converge on the theoretical value as n grows — the Law of Large Numbers in real time.

Tools & Resources

Library Topic 6 resource library Curated extras across all 6 lessons. 2 items available so far. Study aid Glossary Every vocab term across the 6 lessons in one study sheet. 31 terms so far. Study aid Cheat sheet Key formulas, common mistakes, and quick-reference factors. Printable for the test.