9-Block Stalagmite Solo is one of several interactive models for probability and statistics authored in the NetLogo modeling-and-simulation environment. The model is part of ProbLab, a curricular unit designed to enrich student understanding of the domain. The online unit package will include a suite of models, student worksheets, and a teacher guide. Below is an applet of 9-Block Stalagmite Solo. You can interact with this model by pressing Setup and Go to run this model, clicking the blue/green buttons to create a sample, and then pressing 'Add This Block' to add the sample to the stalagmite histogram. You may want to slow down the model in order to get to know it -- use the 'adjust speed' slider that is on the top-left corner of the graphics window. For more details, please see 9-Block Stalagmite.
CM ProbLab: 9-Block Stalagmite Solo -- Getting to know a combinatorial space
Don't see nothin'?Gist
9-Block Stalagmite Solo is your opportunity to build up the combinatorial sample space of all the possible arrays of 3-by-3 squares, in which each square can either be green or blue. What is your strategy? In 9-Block Stalagmite, we discuss some strategies. Note that due to the large size of this sample space, it was not possible to fit it all in without requiring lots of scrolling up and down. However, this applet should allow you to figure out how to create many 9-blocks without repetition and without skipping any along the way. This skill will help you when you participate in the HubNet version of 9-Block Stalagmite, in which you compete against other participants.[last updated July 8, 2005]