Electronic Proceedings of the Sixteenth Annual International Conference on Technology in Collegiate Mathematics

Chicago, Illinois, October 30-November 2, 2003

Paper S108

This is an electronic reprint, reproduced by permission of Pearson Education Inc. Originally appeared in the Proceedings of the Sixteenth Annual International Conference on Technology in Collegiate Mathematics, Edited by Corinna Mansfield, ISBN 0-321-30456-x, Copyright (C) 2005 by Addison-Wesley Publishing Company, Inc.


Is Popcorn Normal?

Allan Struthers


Mathematical Sciences
Michigan Technological University
Houghton, MI 49931
USA


list of all papers by this author

David Clark


Mathematical Sciences
Michigan Technological University
Houghton, MI 49931
USA

Robert Edman


Mathematical Sciences
Michigan Technological University
Houghton, MI 49931
USA

Amy Huff


Mathematical Sciences
Michigan Technological University
Houghton, MI 49931
USA

Click to access this paper: paper.pdf

ABSTRACT

Popcorn pops are commonly assumed to be normally distributed. This paper tests this normalcy hypothesis with a straightforward classroom experiment. Every pop in a batch of popcorn from a hot air popper is recorded, timed, and analyzed using inexpensive equipment and standard software.

Keyword(s): statistics, software