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PLTW Activity 4.1.3 Simulations To Predict Behavior

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681 views3 pages

PLTW Activity 4.1.3 Simulations To Predict Behavior

k

Uploaded by

mahitmarrione
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© © All Rights Reserved
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1.

With the random bounce left or right, can you predict the behavior of the
simulation? In other words, can you predict where seventy-five dropped balls will
end up?

It is impossible to predict the exact behavior since it is random.

2. Click setup. Two hundred fifty turtles have been placed on the screen, all at the
bottom in the same location. Click go once. The turtles have all walked right or left
with an equal chance of each direction. Predict where the majority of the turtles will
end up.

Most of the turtles will be near the middle since it takes a really high chance
to go in the same direction multiple times. For example, the chance of moving
right or left five times in a row is 3.125%.

3. Reduce the number-of-steps and rerun the simulation to confirm the pattern. Then
reduce the number of turtles to one or two and run the simulation a few times,
observing the number of left and right turns. What makes a turtle stray far to the left or
far to the right?

The same pattern is preserved as the probabilities have not changed.

4. Predict the behavior that will occur when there are 500 turtles. Run the
simulation.
Do the turtles ever reach the opposite wall before reaching an edge? What does this
say about the odds of turtles spreading far from the center?

There are very few turtles going that far because the chance keeps getting
halved every iteration.

5. Thinking back to the previous simulation, why does the Galton Box behave the
way it does?

It uses probability and randomness to influence the ball drops.


6. Before running the simulation, predict the patterns of each histogram after a few
hundred random dice rolls.

I think that the graph will show a bell shape that tapers off at the edges.

7. Which of the dice Pair Sums is at the top of the bell curve?

The dice Pair Sum at the top of the bell curve is 7.

8. How many different ways can that sum be made using a pair of dice?

The sum of 7 can be made in six different ways using a pair of dice: (1,6), (2,5),
(3,4), (4,3), (5,2), (6,1).

9. How many ways can the other numbers be made using a pair of dice?

- Sum of 2: (1,1)

- Sum of 3: (1,2), (2,1)

- Sum of 4: (1,3), (2,2), (3,1)

- Sum of 5: (1,4), (2,3), (3,2), (4,1)

- Sum of 6: (1,5), (2,4), (3,3), (4,2), (5,1)

- Sum of 8: (2,6), (3,5), (4,4), (5,3), (6,2)

- Sum of 9: (3,6), (4,5), (5,4), (6,3)

- Sum of 10: (4,6), (5,5), (6,4)

- Sum of 11: (5,6), (6,5)

- Sum of 12: (6,6)

10. Why is the center column in the Pairs Sum histogram taller than all the other
columns?
The pair sums graph is based on probability.

11. Observe the parameters of the simulation and predict what you think might
reduce or eliminate the traffic jam.

Inorder to prevent traffic jams you could reduce the number of carts on the
road or the max speed.

12. A Voronoi diagram is an example of geometric optimization. What real-world


systems might use or benefit from this simulation?

Maps, large scale networks, urban planning, transportation, and more.

13. How do patterns help you understand data in the simulations you explored?

Patterns create visual representations that are much easier for the human
mind to understand.

14. How do you justify a heuristic solution when no absolute solution can be
found?

It is more viable if you need to solve a problem quickly and have to for
optimization later.

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