Probabilidade e esperança matemática em jogos de loteria: mobilizando conhecimentos e criatividade dos estudantes

Abstract

This research has as its theme the use of games of chance, in particular the lottery, as aids in the learning of probability, in view of the notorious difficulty of basic education students in this content. The research had as participants students of the integrated high school of the IFRN, campus São Paulo do Potengi, and had as general objective to stimulate the learning in probability from the creation of lottery games. The methodological path used was divided into two stages. In the first stage, students answered an open questionnaire containing problems involving the Dia de Sorte and + Milionária lotteries, both administered by Caixa Econômica Federal; SPP da Sorte a game of chance that is very popular in the Potengi region; and Lotoemoji, created by the researchers. The analysis of the responses was based on the analysis of errors from the perspective of Cury (2009), where it was possible to verify the difficulties that the participants had. In this first stage, it was also possible to discuss the concept and interpretation of the mathematical expectation of profit applied to gambling. The second stage of the researchers was constituted in a moment in which the students had to create their own games, with the mediation of the researcher, having as requirements the definitions of the price variables, prize ranges, game rules and the probabilities of winning. From the analysis of the creations, it was possible to perceive that for some of them there was an apparent advance in overcoming the difficulties in the content. In the speeches of the students themselves, the creation of the games was a practical moment that allowed them a better understanding of probability.