Drop Location in Bean Machine: Does It Matter?

[iVenky]

In the bean machine, we usually drop the balls from the center of the top right? That's the reason why most of the balls accumulate in the middle bin. If you drop the balls from the top right corner (say) then balls should fall in the bins in the right side, right?

Thanks a lot.

 

[jedishrfu]

yes its supposed to simulate a gaussian distribution

 

[iVenky]

yes its supposed to simulate a gaussian distribution

So you mean the place from which you drop the balls is the mean value of the gaussian distribution?

 

[haruspex]

So you mean the place from which you drop the balls is the mean value of the gaussian distribution?

Yes, if you're dropping the beans in the centre. If you drop them at the right edge then you'll only get the left half of the Gaussian. Here's a challenge: where will the mean be?

 

[iVenky]

Yes, if you're dropping the beans in the centre. If you drop them at the right edge then you'll only get the left half of the Gaussian. Here's a challenge: where will the mean be?

It will still be at zero?

 

[haruspex]

It will still be at zero?

No, must be closer to the edge where the beans are dropped in. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Half-normal_distribution

 

[SteveL27]

In the bean machine, we usually drop the balls from the center of the top right? That's the reason why most of the balls accumulate in the middle bin. If you drop the balls from the top right corner (say) then balls should fall in the bins in the right side, right?

Thanks a lot.

I saw one of those years ago. It's very impressive. The marbles make random bounces to the left or the right; but organize themselves neatly into a bell curve. How do they know how to do that? It's a demonstration that really brings math to life.