Like many mathematics teachers, the authors often find that students who struggle with a difficult concept may be assisted by the use of a well-chosen graph or other visual representation. While one should not rely solely on such tools, they can suggest possible theorems which then might be proved with the proper rigor. Even when a picture…

A generally-educated individual should have some insight into how decisions are made in the very wide range of fields that employ statistical and probabilistic reasoning. Also, students of introductory probability and statistics are often best motivated by specific applications rather than by theory and mathematical development, because most…

The number Pi has a rich and colorful history. The origin of Pi dates back to when Greek mathematicians realized that the ratio of the circumference to the diameter is the same for all circles. One is most familiar with many of its applications to geometry, analysis, probability, and number theory. This paper demonstrates several examples of how…

The rapid rate of expansion of the disciplines of biotechnology, genomics, and bioinformatics emphasizes the increased interdependency between computer science and biology, with mathematics serving as the bridge between these disciplines. This paper demonstrates this inter-relationship within the context of a computational model for a biological…

As part of a discussion on Monte Carlo methods, which outlines how to use probability expectations to approximate the value of a definite integral. The purpose of this paper is to elaborate on this technique and then to show several examples using visual basic as a programming tool. It is an interesting method because it combines two branches of…

The subject matter presented in this article can be used in the classroom to enrich the learning experience of students taking a course that includes a unit on combinatorics, such as discrete mathematics, graph theory, or probability. In order to provide such students with the background needed to appreciate the significance of the generalization…

Describes a five-dice game, horse. Discusses the offensive player's strategy using the ideas of probability, such as counting outcomes, mutually exclusive events, conditional probabilities, zero sum games, and the use of computer. (YP)

Explains a new way of viewing Bayes' formula. Discusses the revision factor and its interpretation. (YP)