June 3

Rock, Paper, Scissors

Probability is all around us! On Friday, we discussed the common game Rock, Paper, Scissors and how it is linked with math. What are the chances your partner will throw a ROCK? What are the chances your partner will throw PAPER? What about SCISSORS?

After pairs of students played 20 rounds of the game and recorded each of the outcomes as a fraction, we analyzed the results. What did the results say about our partner?  There was some interesting sharing of information. For example, one student used “Rock” 18/20 times and admitted this was because he thought he had a better chance of winning if he used it.

We looked at the different ways you could win and discovered you actually had an EQUAL CHANCE of winning if you used ANY of the ‘symbols’ in the game. However, if you know your partner typically uses one type of symbol over the others, perhaps your chances of winning increase because you can use that against him or her.

Rock–paper covers it

Paper–scissors cut it

Scissors–rock crushes it

 

When you play Rock, Paper, Scissors, do you use the symbols randomly or do you typically use one or two symbols more than another?  Does it depend on who you’re playing with?

Parents–if you’re interested, here is an interesting article from the BBC about the psychology behind the game

http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-27228416


Posted June 3, 2017 by MrsS in category Math

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