HSED422/MSED456: Lottery Numbers
Name:
Names of people you worked with:
Objectives:
- Use a web site to gather data.
- Calculate using percentages.
- Informally introduce the concept of expected value.
- Explore the question of where money spent on lottery tickets
comes from and goes to.
Work in groups of two to answer the questions below using the web site
http://www.masslottery.com.
Each group member should contribute equally to the
analysis.
- From all of Massachusetts' lotteries, approximately what
percentage of money paid for lottery tickets is awarded in prizes?
- If Bridgewater residents buy $100,000 worth of lottery tickets in
a year, approximately how much prize money do they win that year?
- If you spend $100 on lottery tickets in a year, about how much
money do you think you'll win over the course of the year?
- Approximately what percentage of the money paid for lottery
tickets is returned to city and town governments to be used for local
aid?
- What percentage of the money spent on lottery tickets is
not paid to winners or spent on local aid? (These are called
"operating expenses".)
- If the lottery raises $1,000,000,000 to be spent on local aid in
the year 2006, how much money do you think the state will have
spent on lottery operating expenses for 2006?
Part 2