standard_description: Develop a probability distribution for a random variable defined for a sample space in which probabilities are assigned empirically; find the expected value. For example, find a current data distribution on the number of TV sets per household in the United States, and calculate the expected number of sets per household. How many TV sets would you expect to find in 100 randomly selected households?
problem_activity: Problem 1
a.   Estimate whether the following sums will be more or less than 1.
i.
$${{3\over4}+{2\over4}}$$
ii.
$${{5\over6}+{3\over6}}$$
b.   Solve for the actual sums in Part (a) above.
Problem 2
Cary computes
$$\frac{9}{10} + \frac4{10}$$
using a different strategy. Here is her reasoning:
[IMG]
“First I broke
$$\frac4{10}$$
into
$$\frac1{10}$$
and
$$\frac3{10}$$
. Then I added
$$\frac9{10}$$
and
$$\frac1{10}$$
to get to 1, then added the other
$$\frac3{10}$$
to get
$$1\frac3{10}$$
.
So
$$\frac{9}{10} + \frac4{10} = 1\frac3{10}$$
."
a.   Is Cary’s calculation correct? Explain.
b.   Will Cary’s strategy always work? If not, give an example of a calculation for which Cary can’t use this strategy.
c.   Use Cary’s strategy to find
$$\frac45+\frac35$$
.
Problem 3
a.   Estimate whether the following differences will be more or less than 1.
i.
$${1{1\over3}-{2\over3}}$$
ii.
$${1{3\over8}-{5\over8}}$$
b.   Solve for the actual differences in Part (a) above.
Problem 4
Corrado computes
$$1\frac15 - \frac25$$
using a different strategy. Here is his reasoning:
[IMG]
“First I broke
$$\frac25$$
into
$$\frac15$$
and
$$\frac15$$
. Then I subtracted
$$\frac15$$
from
$$1\frac15$$
to get to 1, then subtracted the other
$$\frac15$$
to get
$$\frac45$$
.
So
$$1\frac15 - \frac25 = \frac45$$
."
a.   Is Corrado’s calculation correct? Explain.
b.   Will Corrado’s strategy always work? If not, give an example of a calculation for which Corrado can’t use this strategy.
c.   Use Corrado’s strategy to find
$$1\frac2{12}-\frac5{12}$$
.


aligns: no