The Three Little Pigs:A Counting Story

Retrieved from the Ontario Association for Mathematics EducationModified by Dr. Jennifer L. Bell, LaGrange High School, LaGrange, Georgia (© 2010)

Once upon a time, there were three little pigs: Blaise, Pierre, and Sasha. Each little pig decided to build their own house.

Blaise

Pierre

Sasha

Each pig could choose to build their house in the mountains, on the lake, in the forest, or in the city.

Their house could be built with wood, brick, or snow,

and they can choose to build one or two levels.

There were so many choices that Blaise was confused. What choices does Blaise have?

Blaise

The possible choices are called outcomes.Blaise has a total of 24 choices.

The first little pig, Blaise, didn’t want to have the same type of house as the second little pig, Pierre. He really wanted an one-level wooden house in the mountains. He thought that Pierre was unlikely to choose the same house. The probability that Pierre would make the same choice as Blaise was , or approximately 4.2 %.

Unfortunately, Pierre already had choose an one-level wooden house in the mountains. So, Blaise and Pierre decided to toss a coin 10 times to determine who would build this house. Blaise called heads on each toss.

Make a prediction: Who do you think will build the house?Make a prediction: Who do you think will build the house?

Heads Tails

Continue the Story

In groups of three, write an ending to the story that includes at least one of these concepts:

Sasha

Blaise

Pierre