St. Petersburg High School 1991 Yearbook (St. Petersburg, FL) - Full Access

I 168 Academics/Math xperiments Aren't Just for Chemistry Consider this. If there are a lot more interesting Pittman, "but they do was a 25% chance of rain in Chicago and a 75% chance of rain in Sacramento, what were the chances of it raining in both cities over a five day period? Questions like these and some that were even more confusing were faced often by students in Mrs. Becky Nelson's Probability and Statistics class throughout the year. The answers, although they seemed difficult, were as easy as the toss of a coin or the roll of a die. In probability and statistics, hands-on experiments were used to ease the tedious tasks of classwork and homework. "I like the experiments," commented Jessica Elsesser, "because they Above: A question of understanding. Molly McHugh asks Mrs. Nelson for help on an especially confusing problem. Right: Woman at work. Jessica Elsseser works diligently on a difficult Probability and Statistics question. than sitting in your seat help me to understand and doing long division." the problems better.'' These experiments, Regina McGrew however, were not just a agreed. "I do understand joyous diversion. the problems better when "They're a part of the we do the experiments,'' curriculum," stated Mrs. she claimed, "but the Nelson. "They have to be trials themselves are very taught so that the tedious." students can solve the After all the dice were problems.'' rolled and all the coins She continued, "It were tossed, it was helps the students determined that it rained because they're doing in both Chicago and hands-on work instead of Sacramento three days reading the book. The out of the five. students do the work, not Consequently, the bell the teacher." rang and twenty-five Although the students frazzled students started learned by actively to wonder what their performing the chances were of making it experiments, some to their next class on students preferred a time. shorter route. - Michelle Dilley " I don't really like doing the trials, " expressed Keisha