Names of Group Members:

MAT 152 – Probability Game

High or Low

Goal of the game: To guess whether the next card is higher or lower than the last one dealt. The only element
that will be added to the game is calculating the probability that the next card will be higher, lower, or the same
suit.

Materials Needed: Sample space, Standard deck of playing cards, Calculator (optional)

Sample space for a standard deck of playing cards:

https://deck-of-cards.js.org/

The Game:
1. Find ONE other person to work with and write your names at the top of the probability table. Each
student will turn in their own work.
2. Take out the 2 jokers in the deck of cards and count to make sure you have 52 cards.
3. Shuffle the deck 3 times and place the stack of cards face down on the table.
4. Flip over the card on the top of the deck and place it beside the deck. Record the value and suit of the
card in the first column.
5. Calculate the corresponding probabilities in the next 3 columns. Leave all probabilities as fractions.
6. Make a guess in column 5.
7. Flip over the next card on the deck and place it on top of the card lying face up to determine if your guess
was right or wrong.
8. Record result in last column. Record the value and suit of the new card in the first column of the next row.
9. Keep in mind when calculating the new probabilities, the sample space will change each time. It may be
helpful to mark out the cards that you have flipped on the sample space picture above.
10. Complete all 10 rows of your table and answer the questions following the probability table.

Adapted from an activity on the website: www.teachforever.com

Adapted from an activity on the website: www.teachforever.com
 Probability: “High or Low?” – Calculate the probabilities of the next card flipped based on the outcome of the
fist card. State probabilities as UNSIMPLIFIED fractions.
Probability Probability Probability Your Guess –
Card (that was Was your
next card is next card is next card is Is next card
flipped over) guess correct?
Higher Lower Equal High or Low?

Reflection Questions:
1. How many of the groups’ guesses were correct? How do you think you did overall?

2. How would the game change if you put each card back into the deck and shuffled every time before
dealing a new card?

Adapted from an activity on the website: www.teachforever.com

Follow Up:
1. Put all cards back in the deck. Shuffle the deck twice and deal the first 10 cards from the top of the deck
to create a new stack. Place the remaining cards off to the side.
2. Arrange the cards from lowest to highest.
3. State the value and suit of the 10 cards that the group was dealt.

4. Shuffle these 10 cards three times and place the cards face down on the table.
5. Repeat the steps from the previous activity using the new sample space of 10 cards to complete the table.

Probability Probability Probability Your Guess –

Card (that was Was your
next card is next card is next card is Is next card
flipped over) guess correct?
Higher Lower Equal High or Low?

Reflection questions:
1. How did this new activity change the sample space?

2. Did this change make the calculations more difficult or easier? Explain.

3. How could you change the original activity from the front page to make it easier to calculate probabilities?
i.e. Instead of “high/low”, what else could you play?

4. How could you change the original activity to make it more difficult to calculate probabilities?

Adapted from an activity on the website: www.teachforever.com