Eleventh Graders Explore Solution to the World Series Problem
PurposesReasoning; Representation
DescriptionRomina, Ankur, Brian, Jeff and Michael are eleventh graders collaborating on the World Series Problem. The problem requires that in order for a team to win the “World Series” a team must win at least four, and at most, seven games. The students experience several breakthroughs throughout the development of their understanding of the problem and the solution. In the end, they begin extending their understanding of the problem by drawing on the structural connection between the World Series Problem solution and Pascal’s Triangle. As the students develop different interpretations of the problem they work together to calculate the probability of a team winning the world series in 4, 5, 6, or 7 games.
The World Series Problem: In a World Series two teams play each other in at least four, and at most, seven games. The first team to win four games is the winner of the World Series. Assuming that the teams are equally matched, what is the probability that a World Series will be won: a) in four games? b) in five games? c) in six games? d) in seven games?
Video sources:
B37 World Series problem (student view), Grade 11, January 22, 1999, raw footage
https://videomosaic.org/portalResults?q1field=fulltext&subjects[]=&subjects[]=&subjects[]=World+Series&subjects[]=&orderby=title&key=2Qx0Jm3Su&numresults=1&start=1
PUP Math World Series https://doi.org/doi:10.7282/T3CV4H0V
References:
Maher, C. A., Powell, A. B., & Uptegrove, E. B. (2010). Combinatorics and Reasoning; Representing, Justifying and Building Isomorphisms. New York: Springer.
