The proof of this theorem, which can be found in Brams et al. Students have difficulty understanding that if a criterion does not hold for any one table of preference lists under a particular voting method, then the voting method fails to satisfy the criterion. Other preference lists may exist for which there appears to appear no conflict. The upcoming presidential primaries offer another opportunity for extending this activity and linking it with statistics and social studies. Ask students to create a table of preference lists illustrating their data, using each voting system studied.
Students can report their sampling methods, calculations, findings, in an essay or news story.
There are many Internet resources that can help you teach the mathematics of voting to your students. Use the pull-down menu to choose an issue that interests you. Read the Question of the Day, which will be about the issue you chose, and write your own response. Then read the answers of all the candidates who responded. Rank the candidates based on their responses as compared to yours.