M&M Math

• Introduction
• Task
• Process
• Evaluation
• Conclusion
• Credits


• Teacher Page

Process

Before you begin this WebQuest, test your brain with a fun game!

Click on the link below and play on medium.  You will get a choice of four fractions.  Click on the one that is not equivalent to the others.

When you finish the game, print your score and staple the printed page to the back of your answer packet.

http://www.funbrain.com/fract/index.html

Each bag of fun-sized M&M’s contains about 20 pieces.  Before you begin, make an educated guess of how many M&M’s of each color you think are in your bag, assuming there are 20 M&M’s total.  Write your answers as fractions in simplest form on your answer packet for question #1.

Now open your bag and count your M&M's.  Was your guess correct?  For #2 on your answer packet, write the actual fractions of each color.  Remember, there might not be 20 total M&M's.  Write your answers in simplest form.

Click on the link below to go to the online math dictionary.  Once you get there, find the definition of probability.  Write the equation listed in the space provided for #3 in your answer packet.

http://www.teachers.ash.org.au/jeather/maths/dictionary.html

After you have written the equation, write the probability of picking each color M&M for #4 in your answer packet.

Pour your M&M's into a bag, and have your partner pick them out of the bag one at a time, but be sure to put each M&M back in the bag before picking another one.  The number of times you pick an M&M out of the bag will depend on the number of M&M's you have total (If you have 19 M&M's, pick 19 times.  If you have 22 M&M's, pick 22 times, etc.).  Use the table for #5 in your answer packet to tally how many of each color are chosen.

Compare your actual answers to the probability of picking each color.  Are the numbers the same?  Are they close?  Why or why not?  Write your answer in the space provided in #6 of your answer packet.

Using the link below, create a bar graph showing how many of each color M&M's were in your package.  Be sure to include a title and labels. Set the min value to 0 and the max value to 10.  Try to use colors that match your M&M colors.  When you are done making your graph, print it out and staple it to your answer packet.

http://nces.ed.gov/nceskids/graphing/classic/bar.asp

You're almost done!  Answer questions #7 and #8 in your answer packet.  Then check your work in your packet and turn it in.  Make sure your score from the fraction game and your graph are printed and stapled to your packet.