M&M Estimation

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M&M Estimation

Math Process Skills

Problem Solving

Reasoning

Communication

Number/Operations/Computation

Materials (per group)

small bag of M & M's (or other container of small multiple colored candies or objects) for each team of students

paper

pencil

crayons

graph paper

Doing the Activity

Find 2 or 3 people to be your partners.

Answer these questions:

How many M & M's are in the bag?
How many different colors of M & M's are in the bag?
Which color M & M has the most?
Which color M & M has the fewest?

Each team should go get one bag of M & M's and open it but do not eat the candy yet.

Answer each of the questions asked previously but use the M & M's from bag for data.

Put the data you have found on graph paper using a bar graph. Use the color of the M & M to represent it on the graph.

Reflecting

What factors did your team consider when making your estimate of total M & M's?

Did all teams have the same number of different colors of candy? If so, why? If not, why not?

Do you think all teams will have the same color with the most and least M & M's? Why or why not?

Did the results of this activity turn out like you thought it would?

Applying

Combine data from all groups and compute average number M & M's in each bag.
Also colors of M &M's and which color had the most and least.
How can you apply what you learned in this activity to another situation?

How can you use what your team learned in the future?

What other things can you do with the information from this activity?

What's Happening

The amount of M & M's placed in a bag is determined by weight not number. Teams will find that the number of M & M's varies by bag but will be approximately the same.

More Challenges

Why are there more of certain colors than others?

Contact the company to determine if there is a reason for certain colors.

Compute ratios for each color of M & M's.

Try a large bag of M & M's to see if color ratios are the same as smaller bags.

Internet Sites for students

Mars Candy

M & M's

Internet Sites for leaders

Mathematic Activities

Probability Activities
Math Activities, games, and more

Activity Source

Iowa State University, Extension - Science, Engineering, and Technology. E-SET web site: http://www.exnet.iastate.edu/Pages/y4h/e-set/

IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY
University Extension

E-SET

ISU Extension

Extension Sites

Contact information: Vicki Speake x1speake@exnet.iastate.edu
Updated: October, 1999

NNST CYFERNet

	M&M Estimation
	Math Process Skills Problem Solving Reasoning Communication Number/Operations/Computation
	Materials (per group) small bag of M & M's (or other container of small multiple colored candies or objects) for each team of students paper pencil crayons graph paper
	Doing the Activity Find 2 or 3 people to be your partners. Answer these questions: How many M & M's are in the bag? How many different colors of M & M's are in the bag? Which color M & M has the most? Which color M & M has the fewest? Each team should go get one bag of M & M's and open it but do not eat the candy yet. Answer each of the questions asked previously but use the M & M's from bag for data. Put the data you have found on graph paper using a bar graph. Use the color of the M & M to represent it on the graph.
	Reflecting What factors did your team consider when making your estimate of total M & M's? Did all teams have the same number of different colors of candy? If so, why? If not, why not? Do you think all teams will have the same color with the most and least M & M's? Why or why not? Did the results of this activity turn out like you thought it would?
	Applying Combine data from all groups and compute average number M & M's in each bag. Also colors of M &M's and which color had the most and least. How can you apply what you learned in this activity to another situation? How can you use what your team learned in the future? What other things can you do with the information from this activity?
	What's Happening The amount of M & M's placed in a bag is determined by weight not number. Teams will find that the number of M & M's varies by bag but will be approximately the same.
	More Challenges Why are there more of certain colors than others? Contact the company to determine if there is a reason for certain colors. Compute ratios for each color of M & M's. Try a large bag of M & M's to see if color ratios are the same as smaller bags.
	Internet Sites for students Mars Candy M & M's Internet Sites for leaders Mathematic Activities Probability Activities Math Activities, games, and more
	Activity Source Iowa State University, Extension - Science, Engineering, and Technology. E-SET web site: http://www.exnet.iastate.edu/Pages/y4h/e-set/