Stack the odds in your favor. Scholars watch a video in the Numberphile Coins series that introduces a game where contestants pick a sequence of three coin flips (such as HHT) and keep flipping a coin until that sequence appears. The video explains a strategy that gives players a leg up on their opponents.

Concepts

coins, coin toss, probability, theoretical probability

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Additional Tags

math

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Instructional Ideas

• Have learners try out the game and see if they can come up with a winning strategy before watching the solution
  
• Use the game as an extension activity on probability

Classroom Considerations

• Note that the video uses British coins, but heads and tails should still be evident

• This video is hosted on YouTube

Pros

• Explanations are thorough and concise
  
• Strategy is easy to understand and includes a graphic organizer

Cons

• None