Summary
Explains why scientists run multiple trials of the same experiment — to average out random errors and build confidence that a result is real — and shows how to calculate a mean from trial data.
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All ages
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Teaching resources
Discussion questions
Discussion
- Why is one trial of an experiment usually not enough?
- What is a mean (average) and how do you calculate it?
- If three trials give results of 5, 5, and 15, what is the average? Is that average trustworthy? Why not?
- How many trials do real scientists typically run? Why might that number vary?
Quick work-a-long
Vocabulary: trial, mean, average, data, reliable, error, reproducible.
Try it: Drop a paper clip from 50 cm and measure how far it bounces three times. Calculate the mean. Now compare with a partner's data — are your averages similar? Discuss sources of error.