When flipping coins, is it fairer to catch the coin or let it fall to the floor? A short video in the Numberphile Coins playlist first explains that many coins have bias when spinning them on a surface. It follows that letting coins fall to the floor will incorporate this bias, so catching the coin is the best option.

Concepts

coins, coin toss, fairness

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Additional Tags

math

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Instructional Ideas

• Have the class create their own data set by conducting the experiment

Classroom Considerations

• It is helpful if scholars have familiarity with fairness and bias in probability experiments
• Pupils should understand the difference between a smooth edge and serrated edge in coins

• This video is hosted on YouTube

Pros

• Explanations are thorough—yet the narrator manages to keep them easy to understand 

Cons

• Teenagers may find the video a bit slow-paced