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ORC Resource Number #1097
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Stick or Switch?
Best Practice
PROFESSIONAL COMMENTARY

This lesson presents a classic game-show scenario: You pick one of three doors in hopes of winning a prize. The host opens one of the two remaining doors which reveals no prize, then asks if you want to stick with your original choice or switch to the other unopened door. Which strategy gives you the best chance of winning? Approaches to the solution run from guesses to experiments to computer simulations (links to applets are provided) to theoretical models. The lesson also includes links to appropriate Internet extensions. This lesson plan first appeared in the April 1991 issue of Mathematics Teacher. (author/sw)

OHIO STANDARDS
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Mathematics Academic Content Standards
Data Analysis and Probability Standard
Mathematical Processes Standard
NATIONAL STANDARDS
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Principles and Standards for School Mathematics
Data Analysis and Probability Standard
Problem Solving Standard
Connections Standard
RESOURCE TYPE
Instructional Resource
PRACTICE LEVEL
Best Practice
STANDARDS ALIGNMENT
Grades 8–Postsecondary
TOPICS
Mathematics --
Probability;
Connections, applications;
Problem Solving;
KEYWORDS
conditional probability;
applet
Publisher: National Council of Teachers of Mathematics
Author: J. Michael Shaughnessy and Tom Dick