How Many Heads in a Row Is Enough? Analyzing Runs with the TI-83+
Karen Benbury
Mathematics Department
Bowie State University
Bowie, MD 20715
Phone: (301) 860-3354
Fax: (301) 860-3438
E-mail: kbenbury@bowiestate.edu
ABSTRACT
In elementary probability, some students may be asked to toss a fair coin 200
times, while others "make up" the results. Usually, the data from actual tosses can be
distinguished from the fake by counting the length of the longest run - students generally
underestimate. The run data from coin tossing and some other related experiments will
be explored using the TI-83+.
