VIC: Frank’s Farm

Objectives

• Concept of the sample mean as a random variable;
• Simulation of repeated random sampling;
• Linear combinations of a random variable.

Vocabulary

• Random Variable,
• Variance and standard deviation,
• Mean,
• Linear combination, 

About the Lesson

The weight of Frank’s steers and heifers are normally distributed. What are the parameters if 4 steers and 2 heifers are combined? Students use a simulation to explore the distribution followed by the theoretical calculations. Students then use a simulation to explore the price per kilogram and apply linear transformations. The purpose of the activity is to illustrate an example and ‘non-example’ of linear transformations with simulations providing the supporting evidence to convince students of the corresponding theory.