Materials: TI-82 calculator, paper cups(small bathroom cups), paper towels, data sheet, and M&M's

Activity:

1. Place students in groups of 2. Each group should receive a cup of M&M's.

2. Each group should count and record the number of M&M's received and label that number
as trial #0.

3. Pour the M&M's out in a single layer onto a paper towel.

4. Remove any M&M which does not have an "M" up.

5. Count the remaining M&M's. Record that number as trial #2.

6. Put the remaining M&M's back in the cup.

7. Repeat steps 2 through 5 until no M&M's remain.

8. Graph your data points. (Trial number, number of M&M's remaining). Count the
original number as trial 0, and do not include the trial where none remained. (You will
not be able to get an exponential fit if y = 0.)

9. Find a function to fit the data.

10. How does the "theoretical" model for this experiment compare with your function?



From: Teachers Teaching with Technology, 1995 Summer Workshop
University of Texas at Arlington