On the Friday afternoon just before the students went on their WWOW trips, the DP lounge was buzzing with activity. It was the Grade 10’s third annual Math Carnival! Students from Grades 6 through 11 eagerly took part in a variety of inventive carnival games designed and built by the Grade 10 Math classes.
The Carnival was a festive occasion where participants tested their luck. Some left as winners, while others walked away with sweet consolation prizes like candy and ice cream sandwiches. Regardless of the outcome, everyone enjoyed the fun-filled atmosphere.
In the weeks leading up to the event, the Grade 10 students had been immersed in lessons on basic probability, probability distribution, and expected value. They explored the concept of fairness in games, learning that a game’s expected value shifting away from zero indicates an advantage for one side—just like in casinos, where some players win, but the house profits over time.
For their final project, students designed and constructed carnival games that offered an expected value in their favour, putting their newfound knowledge into practice. This year, the event was elevated through a collaboration with the Design and Art departments, bringing creativity and craftsmanship to the games. Special thanks to Mr. Lester, Ms. Laurie, and Ms. Kim for their invaluable support during the Math CWOW and throughout the students’ creative process.
It was an exciting afternoon where all games were constructed to be honest, but none of them were made to be fair. Here is to next year! Here’s to even more fun and learning at next year’s event!