Generate simulated experimental data! submitted by: Jeff LeMieux, June 2003 This narrative describes how I use my Perl script, cataloged in the Math Tools digital library, in the classroom. Course: Math 7 Topic: Resource type: Perl Script Resource location: http://syzygy.virtualave.net/spinner2.htm Math Forum catalogue entry: http://mathforum.org/mathtools/tool.html?rc=tool&new_id=783 Story:  This spinner was written to serve multiple purposes. It allows you to determine some event which might have up to 25 possible outcomes. It conducts a maximum 1000 trials at a time. This is a generic "spinner" in the sense that it can serve as a spinner (25 segments max), or it can be a coin (2 segments A&B), a die (6 segments A,B,C, D, E and F) or whatever sort of device might be needed. It does provide a count of the results. Other uses are left to the imagination of the class. Where and how I used this: This was actually my first "spinner" program and was developed when I realized that talking about large numbers of trials was not the same thing as doing large numbers of trials - even if simulated. Students do not seem to have difficulty separating simulation from reality so this tool has been effective in discussing probability. Since this is a Perl script, it actually runs on the server where the script resides and the results are sent to the user. So far I have not done anything to see if the results are significantly different - but It is on the back burner as a student project. Send comments to Jeff LeMieux at tackweed@whidbey.net Jeff LeMieux June 2003 http://www2.whidbey.net/ohmsmath