Organizing+M&M+Data


 * //Teacher Page//** **//Engage 2//**

Challenge
The M&M Company fills the M&M bags by weight, not by numbers of M&Ms. They do have a specific percentage for each of the colors they try to put in the bags. But, each bag does not have the exact percentage for the different colors. What is the percentage is for each color: Red? Blue? Yellow? Green? Brown? Orange? How can the data for all students be organized to find the percentage that the M&M Company uses?
 * Materials**

For each student: 3X5 prepared cards with M&M data from Activity 1 Dark marking pen //M&M Data Group Record Sheet// For each group of 5-6 students: 20 precut 3X5 cards of this form: At least 15 additional blank 3X5 cards At least a 36 inch by 72 inch clear flat space (floor or table space)
 * Small Group Guided Instructions**

1. Create a 3X5 card for each word: NAME, RED, BLUE, YELLOW, GREEN, BROWN, and ORANGE ===== NAME ===== 2. Create a heading: Place the cards next to each other across the wide part of the workspace, leaving at least 12 inches at the top of the workspace. 3. Each student in the group: Place individual 3X5 data cards in a row in the appropriate columns underneath the column headings. 4. Each student in the group completes //the M&M Data Group Record Sheet//

Whole Class Guided Instructions
1. Each group uses the precut cards to create row and column markers in this format in their workspace display of the data. 2. In this display, the letter cards represent **column** names; the number cards represent **row** names. **Cells** are identified by **column row**.  The card with NAME is in a **cell** named **A1.** The card with X is in a **cell** named **B5.** The card with Y is in a **cell** named **E3.** 3. Instruct the students to identify the **cell** name (or names) of the card in their group’s data that corresponds to the a. Most numbers for each of the colors; b. Least numbers of each of the colors; c. Name of the student with the Most number of green M&Ms. 4. Add another column heading, called TOTAL. Indicate this as column H. 5. **Finding the total number of M&Ms in each bag:** Ask students to explain, using the cell names, how to find the total number of M&Ms for each individual bag. (Expected response: **B2+C2+D2+E2+F2+G2)** Shorthand for this instruction is to use a **SUM** **function**. Begin with an equal sign (=) to indicate that the function needs to be calculated for the value. Row 2 student would use this formula **= SUM(B2:G2)** Instruct the students to prepare the cards for their row, in the following way: a. On one side of the 3X5 card put the formula b. On the other side of the 3X5 card, record the value for the total c. Place the card in the appropriate row in column H of the workspace display with the **value** side up and **formula** side down. 6. **Finding the Average number for each color**: Each group needs to add another row label called AVERAGE. 7. The formula for finding the average for the Red column if there are six students: **= AVERAGE (B2:B7)** Have the groups complete the averages for each of the colors and the TOTAL: a. On one side of the 3X5 card put the formula b. On the other side of the 3X5 card, put the value for average. **Round the value to the nearest whole M&M!** c. Place the card in the appropriate place in the display with the **value** side up and f**ormula** side down. 8. Questions for students: a. Do all groups have the same average for the Total M&Ms? Why or why not? b. Do all groups have the same average for the Red M&Ms? Why or why not? c. Based on the average you found for the total number of M&Ms in a bag, what number of M&Ms would you expect to find in a new bag of M&Ms? d. Based on the averages that you found for each color, what number of each color of M&Ms would you expect to find in a new bag of M&Ms? • Red  • Green • Blue  • Brown • Yellow  • Orange e. Even though you might expect to find this number, why might you find a different number when you opened a new bag? f. What percent of each color of M&Ms do you think the M&M Company uses when bagging its candies? || = // M&M Data Group Record Sheet // = = = **Record the group data:**
 * The M&Ms Company displays the probabilities it uses for bagging the M&Ms. This display was found on the M&M Website, January, 2007, and can be used as the theoretical probability for the bag of M&Ms.
 * Student Name:**
 * === NAME  === || ===  RED  === || ** BLUE ** || ** YELLOW ** || ** GREEN ** || ** BROWN ** || ===  ORANGE  === ||

**Questions:** 1. What was the most number for each color? What was the least? 2. What is the most number of green M&Ms in your group’s data set? Where is the card with the most number of green M&Ms? 3. What set of instructions would you use to explain to another group where the card with the most number of green M&Ms is in your data set?
 * === Color === || RED || BLUE || YELLOW || GREEN || BROWN || ORANGE ||
 * **Most** ||  ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||
 * **Least** ||  ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||