Understanding the Galton Board

Understanding the Galton Board

Assessment

Interactive Video

Mathematics, Science

6th - 10th Grade

Hard

Created by

Lucas Foster

FREE Resource

The video explains the Galton board, a device where balls fall through pegs, creating a normal distribution curve. Each ball has a 50/50 chance of going left or right at each peg, making individual outcomes unpredictable. However, with many balls, a pattern emerges, showing a higher probability of balls landing in the center due to more paths leading there. This illustrates the importance of large sample sizes in making accurate predictions in science and math. The video concludes with a humorous comparison of the Galton board to a rain stick.

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5 questions

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1.

MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTION

30 sec • 1 pt

What is the primary outcome when balls fall through the Galton board?

A chaotic scatter

A linear pattern

A normal distribution curve

A random distribution

2.

MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTION

30 sec • 1 pt

What is the probability of a ball moving left or right when it hits a peg?

70% left, 30% right

60% left, 40% right

50% left, 50% right

80% left, 20% right

3.

MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTION

30 sec • 1 pt

Why do patterns emerge when many balls are used in the Galton board?

Because each ball follows the same path

Due to the influence of external forces

Due to the high probability of landing in the center

Because the pegs are unevenly spaced

4.

MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTION

30 sec • 1 pt

What does the Galton board demonstrate about sample sizes?

Small samples are sufficient for predictions

Large samples are necessary for accurate predictions

Sample size does not affect predictions

Only even sample sizes are useful

5.

MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTION

30 sec • 1 pt

How is the Galton board humorously compared at the end of the video?

As a random number generator

As a scientific calculator

As a superior version of a rain stick

As a musical instrument