Names of Group Members:
MAT 155 – Probability Game
High or Low
Goal of the game: To guess whether the next card is higher or lower than the last one dealt. The only element
that will be added to the game is calculating the probability that the next card will be higher, lower, or the same
suit.
Materials Needed: Probability table, Standard deck of playing cards, Calculator (optional)
Sample space for a standard deck of playing cards:
The Game:
1. Find ONE other person to work with and write your names at the top of the probability table. Each
student will turn in their own work.
2. Take out the 2 jokers in the deck of cards and count to make sure you have 52 cards.
3. Shuffle the deck 3 times and place the stack of cards face down on the table.
4. Flip over the card on the top of the deck and place it beside the deck. Record the value and suit of the
card in the first column.
5. Calculate the corresponding probabilities in the next 3 columns. Leave all probabilities as fractions.
6. Make a guess in column 5.
7. Flip over the next card on the deck and place it on top of the card lying face up to determine if your guess
was right or wrong.
8. Record result in last column. Record the value and sit of the new card in the first column of the next row.
9. Keep in mind when calculating the new probabilities, the sample space will change each time. It may be
helpful to mark out the cards that you have flipped on the sample space picture above.
10. Complete all 10 rows of your table and answer the questions following the probability table.
Probability: “High or Low?”
Adapted from an activity on the website: www.teachforever.com
Card
Probability
High
Probability
Low
Probability
Equal
Your Guess
Was your
Guess correct?
Reflection Questions:
1. How many of the groups’ guesses were correct? How do you think you did overall?
2. How would the game change if you put each card back into the deck and shuffled every time before
dealing a new card?
Follow Up:
Adapted from an activity on the website: www.teachforever.com
1. Shuffle the deck once and deal the first 10 cards from the top of the deck to create a new stack. Place the
remaining cards off to the side.
2. Arrange the cards from lowest to highest.
3. State the value and suit of the 10 cards that the group was dealt.
4. Shuffle the cards 3 times and place the cards face down on the table.
5. Repeat the steps from the previous activity using the new sample space to complete the table.
Card
Probability
High
Probability
Low
Probability
Equal
Your Guess
Was your
Guess correct?
Reflection questions:
1. How did this new activity change the sample space?
2. Did this change make the calculations more difficult or easier? Explain.
3. How could you change the original activity from the front page to make it easier to calculate probabilities?
i.e. Instead of “high/low”, what else could you play?
4. How could you change the original activity to make it more difficult to calculate probabilities?
Adapted from an activity on the website: www.teachforever.com