Candy Activity

Introduction

We concluded last week by reading about and exploring several ways in which data and numerical information can be used to mislead.

This week we will build upon those topics while preparing our first formal oral presentation.

\(~\)

Activity Instructions

• I’ve brought with me a bag containing 100 pieces of candy.
  • Your group’s goal is to accurately estimate the weight of the bag.
• You will have only one opportunity to gather information about the candy in the bag.
  • For this, you will have 20-seconds to select a sample of 5 pieces of candy and weigh them collectively on the scale that I’ve brought.
  • The weight of those 5 pieces will be used to form your estimate of the entire bag’s weight.
  • My suggestion would be to multiply your sample’s weight by 20 (since your sample was 5 pieces and the bag contains 100 pieces).
• The group whose estimate is closest to the true weight of the bag gets to keep it.

\(~\)

Discussion Questions

1. What strategies did your group use to choose your sample?
2. What might cause a sample to produce a good or a bad estimate of the bag’s weight?
3. Do you think it’s likely for a sample to perfectly estimate the entire bag’s weight without any error?