Chance and Data
Probability and statistics through interactive reasoning games
This workshop helps students think beyond luck and discover the logic behind uncertainty. Through hands-on challenges and guided discussion, participants compare intuitive answers with mathematical reasoning and real-world decision-making.
Workshop Overview
Chance and Data introduces students to probability and statistics through a sequence of short, engaging scenarios. Participants explore well-known problems where intuition is tested against mathematical reasoning, then compare their own strategies with optimal approaches.
Conceptual Framework
The workshop is organized as a set of guided interactions. In each scenario, students first make an intuitive prediction or decision, then test it through structured experiments, simulations, counting, or data analysis.
Across all activities, probability and statistics provide the rules for interpreting outcomes, measuring uncertainty, and improving strategies.
Interaction Structure
- A scenario is introduced and discussed collectively.
- Students make an intuitive prediction or choice.
- Outcomes are explored through simulation, counting, or data collection.
- Results are compared with optimal or theoretical strategies.
- Key probability or statistical principles are summarized.
Explored Scenarios
- The Monty Hall Scenario (coins and cups)
- Mr. and Mrs. X’s Children (conditional probability)
- Coin Toss Experiments (one has one more coin)
- The Birthday Problem (unexpected coincidences)
- The Optimal Stopping Strategy (decision-making under uncertainty)
- Mark and Recapture (estimating the number of fish in a pond)
Learning Outcomes
By the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:
- Grasp key concepts in probability and statistics through interactive challenges
- Compare intuitive and mathematical solutions to real-world problems
- Explore classic probability scenarios such as the Monty Hall and birthday problems
- Apply basic statistical methods such as mark-and-recapture and optimal stopping
- Strengthen logical thinking and data-based reasoning
Setting
Classroom
Participants
Grades 10–12 students
Format
Hands-on activities, guided problem solving, reasoning games, and real-life applications