How to play Probability Racer
- Choose your predictions: which car will win most often, and which will win least often?
- Press Roll the dice. The car matching the total moves forward one space.
- Press Run the race to watch the whole race, or roll one at a time.
- Keep a tally of the winners. Then run 10, 100 or 1000 races to see what happens when there is lots of data.
- Press Show the possible rolls to see all 36 ways two dice can land, and find out why some totals are far more likely.
Maths skills this game builds
- Probability: more likely, less likely, impossible
- Sample spaces: listing all outcomes of two dice
- Addition facts to 12
- Collecting data and reading a bar chart
- Comparing predictions with results
- Why more data gives a clearer picture
Tips for parents and carers
- Before racing, ask: “Which total do you think comes up most often with two dice? Why?”
- Look at car 1. Can it ever win? Talk about why not.
- Play a real version with two dice, 12 toy cars and a floor chart. Or just a tally chart on paper.
Using Probability Racer with a group or class
- Share your screen. Ask children to predict first, and to hold up or write their number. Run a few races together, and ask them to keep a tally on paper.
- The surprise is car 1. It can never move, because two dice cannot total 1. Ask children to explain why before you show the possible-rolls grid.
- Run 100 races, then 1000. Discuss: why does the chart look lumpy with 10 races and smoother with 1000?
- Online with up to 12 children: give each child a car number, and cheer for that car.
Frequently asked questions
Which car wins most often?
The car with the most ways to make its total, which is 7. There are 6 ways out of 36 to roll a 7. But the best car does not always win a single race, which is what makes it exciting.
Why can car 1 never win?
Two dice always total at least 2, so a 1 can never be rolled.
Why does the chart change every time?
Dice are random. With a small number of races the results are lumpy. With lots of races they settle down.
Do I need real dice?
No. The page rolls the dice for you. Real dice and toy cars make a fun offline version.