---
title: "Simple Chance Experiments"
description: "Conduct simple probability experiments — flipping a coin, rolling a die, pulling coloured counters from a bag — record results, and compare experimental outcomes with expected theoretical outcomes"
canonical: https://lightmysky.com/learn/mathematics/simple-chance-experiments-mt_J4j7d3iAfg
source: https://lightmysky.com/learn/mathematics/simple-chance-experiments-mt_J4j7d3iAfg.md
retrieved: 2026-10-19
---

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# Simple Chance Experiments

Conduct simple probability experiments — flipping a coin, rolling a die, pulling coloured counters from a bag — record results, and compare experimental outcomes with expected theoretical outcomes

Subject: Mathematics · Area: Probability · Ages 9 to 10
Page: https://lightmysky.com/learn/mathematics/simple-chance-experiments-mt_J4j7d3iAfg

## Ready when they can

- Flip a coin 20 times, record heads and tails in a tally chart, and describe what they notice about the results
- Roll a die 30 times and compare how often each number came up with what they expected
- Pull counters from a bag, record results, and explain whether the outcomes matched their prediction

## Lesson: Doing a chance experiment

A chance experiment is something you do over and over, like flipping a coin or rolling a die, then write down what happens each time. You already know how to guess whether something is likely or unlikely. Now you get to test that guess against real results.

*(drawing: Maya flipped a coin 20 times and tallied her results. She got 12 heads and 8 tails, close to the even split she expected.)*

**Example.** Ben rolls a die 30 times. He expects each number to land about 5 times, since a die has six sides. His tally shows the 4 landed 8 times, but the 2 only landed 2 times. Some numbers matched his guess closely, others didn't. That's normal. Real experiments rarely match your expectation exactly.

**Tip.** Every time you repeat a chance experiment, your results might come out a little different. The more times you try it, the closer your results usually get to what you expected.

**Recap.** A chance experiment lets you test what you expect against what really happens.

## Practice

17 questions on this page, each with its working shown.

## Needs first

- [Pictograms and tally charts](https://lightmysky.com/learn/mathematics/pictograms-and-tally-charts-mt_c29FaCTNsx)
- [Likelihood Language](https://lightmysky.com/learn/mathematics/likelihood-language-mt_iFFKZd-Vgv)

## Opens up

- [Experimental vs Theoretical](https://lightmysky.com/learn/mathematics/experimental-vs-theoretical-mt_-bMnJcPJy8)
- [Probability as a Fraction](https://lightmysky.com/learn/mathematics/probability-as-a-fraction-mt_-c4Ca_nBzX)