The Challenge
Probability and statistics can be a real challenge for students who can see the topics as opaque, and at times unintuitive.
As teachers, we use familiar games of chance to teach some of the fundamental ideas of probability. A coin flip becomes the perfect metaphore for 50/50 split, 2 equally possible outcomes. Dice add some complexity with its 6 possible sides. These probabilities, when combined, provide the foundation for understanding basic probabilistic principles which extend all the way into advanced robotics.
The challenge with coins and dice is that it takes some imagination (or some work) to actually see the probability patterns. For example, a young person might play with dice for years and years, but when shown the probability distribution of rolling a pair of dice, they are likely to draw a blank stare.
This is where the Aakkozzll comes in.
The App
Click on the TAP TO DROP button to drop balls.
Originally created in the form of a coin, and now available digitally for web, iPhone, iPod, and iPad, the Aakkozzll was designed to be used as a substitute for dice. When you tap to drop, 1024 little balls are released and tumble down into slots numbered 2 to 12, providing the same values as the roll of a pair of dice.
Of course the distribution is much different. The chances of rolling a 2 with a pair of dice is 1/36, whereas it is 1/1024 with the Aakkozzll.
By playing with the Aakkozzll, our hope is that young people gain a new intuitionfor probability, and become familiar with the normal curve from a young age. The games you can play involving the Aakkozzll are completely unthreatening and don't feel like math class. But, the insights they will use to win will develop a powerful intuition for probability and statistics.
Click on the next tab above to see some games you can play with the Aakkozzll.
Craps
Humans have been playing variations of this game for thousands of years, and it continues to deliver a tremendous amount of excitement for all who play. There is nothing like learning a new skill or insight when you have something on the line.
Liar
This exciting and playful game is bound to make a conniver out of you! This game requires the ability to keep the result of the roll secret so is recommended primarily for mobile versions of the Aakkozzll.
Create your Own Game
The Aakkozzll might be used as a replacement for almost any game traditionally played with dice. Some games are more fun than others, but the best game is the one you design yourself! If you have an orginal (or classic) game idea you would like to share with others, fill out the form below an you might see your idea on this page.
The Quincunx (pronounced quinn-cux) or bead board, as some call it, was developed by a mathematician named Galton in 1873 (complete history noted below). The device works by dropping a series of acrylic balls, or beads, through rows of precisely located pins. Each bead, as it hits a pin, has a 50-50 chance of falling to the left or right. Each bead then continues to fall over subsequent rows of pins and eventually lands in a slot or cell. The shape of the accumulated beads in the cells forms a pattern or what is statistically referred to as a bell shaped or normal distribution.
Read more history from Jim Warren's page
The Normal Curve later went on to revolutionize science, creating the basis for quality control, medical trials, modern investment strategies, and a revolution in the social sciences.
The Normal Curve occurs everywhere in nature, it is as ubiquitous as the circle. Yet, few have the opportunity to really notice it, as it is hidden in frequencies, buried in numbers.
Burke Brown created the Aakkozzll coin as a toy which children as young as 5 could play with and thereby gain commerce with the curve. The Aakkozzll embodies the same physical elements as the galton board with a very minor modification. One of the balls is colored (differentiating it from all of the others) and the slot that this colored ball falls into determines the value of the roll.
In an attempt to get this into as many hands as possible, the coin was later converted into a web/mobile app which is distributed completely free of charge across the world. It is up to inspired and motivated teachers to put this device in as many young hands as possible so that they may all experience the miracle of the curve.
Aakkozzll for iPhone
Free
Aakkozzll for Android
Coming Soon
Aakkozzll for Web
Free
Aakkozzll Coin
Coming Soon
Aakkozzll T-Shirt
Coming Soon
