Lottery

High school (ages 12+)
Mathematics & Numbers

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/lottery

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the historical funding application?Construction of the Great Wall of China and other major public works
2. What is the mathematical principle?Probability and statistics, particularly in calculating odds
3. Where did lotteries start?Lotteries began in ancient China around 205 BC. They were also used in Rome and later in Europe for public projects.
4. How do lottery draws stay fair?Draws use tumbling drums with numbered balls or computer random number generators. These systems are tested by independent auditors to keep them fair.

Random Number Generator (RNG): A computer program or device that produces sequences of numbers that lack any discernible pattern.
Regressive Tax: A tax that disproportionately affects lower-income individuals, as they spend a larger percentage of their income on it.
Probability Neglect: The tendency to disregard or underestimate the low probability of a desired outcome when the potential reward is very high.