A Monte Carlo simulation uses random numbers to simulate real-life occurrences. These simulations can be used to approximate a true probability for an event. The more random trials that are generated, the closer we can approximate the true probability.
Use MS Excel to create a Monte Carlo simulation for summing a 4-sided die with an 8-sided die. I recommend completing at least 1,000 simulated dice rolls, but more is better!
Some helpful commands:
| Excel example | Result |
|---|---|
| =randbetween(1,6) | generates a random number between 1 and 6 |
| =countif(C:C, 1) | counts the number of cells in column C that contain the number 1 |
| =F2/count(C:C) | takes the result in cell F2 and divides by count of numbers in column C |
The experimental probabilities will not be handed in, but please bring results to class for discussion.