M3.7.6 For the adult

The language of chance

A bag holds 1 black bead and 9 white beads. How likely is it that you pick black?

What this chapter teaches

A probability is a number from 0 to 1. Impossible is 0, certain is 1 and an even chance is 0.5. Unlikely events sit between 0 and 0.5, and likely events between 0.5 and 1.

Three questions to ask

There is no one right wording. Listen for the idea.

  1. Where on a line from 0 to 1 would you put "a dice shows 7"?
  2. Why can a probability never be 1.2?
  3. How do you write one quarter as a decimal?

After the chapter, the learner can

  • Place events on a scale from impossible to certain
  • Write a probability as a fraction or decimal from 0 to 1

What they copy into their notebook

Probability is a number from 0 to 1. Impossible is 0. Certain is 1. Even chance is 0.5. Unlikely is below 0.5. Likely is above 0.5. Write it as a fraction or a decimal.

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