In this lesson, students describe and use sample spaces to calculate probabilities for compound experiments. Rather than using a single coin flip or number cube roll, experiments can be made up of several individual parts.

In the Warm-up, students are given the chance to write out the sample space for rolling two standard number cubes and then to share their methods for keeping track of all of the outcomes. Leverage student work by capturing and referring to their methods throughout the rest of the lesson. If it is clear that students have methods that work for them to determine the outcomes for large sample spaces, move quickly through this lesson.

Lists, tables, and trees are all offered as ways to organize the outcomes in a sample space for this type of experiment. Students examine the structure of the organization methods to select the ones that work best for them (MP7).