Note for Teachers:

This activity was one of the first activities using an internet web site (http://illuminations.nctm.org/ActivityDetail.aspx?ID=28.) That site contained an applet that was an interactive game. Teachers field-tested several situations and hypothesized a pattern for a rule. This web site could be retrieved at home or during a class session in the computer lab or in the classroom on the class projection system. This pattern of exploring a situation, gathering data, analysis of data and conjecturing a rule will be later noted in the lessons from national curriculum materials for middle school mathematics.
Write a Report

When you have explored several sizes of Paper Pool tables and have reached some conclusions, write a report on your work. Include the following in your report:

1. A summary of the rules you found, why you think your rules are correct, and anything else you discovered. You might discuss what you noticed as you examined the paths for different tables and what helped you to arrive at your rules.

2. A drawing of one Paper Pool table for each rule that demonstrates that the rule accurately predicts what will happen.

3. Any tables, charts, drawings or other tools you used to organize your information and look for patterns.

4. An explanation of any other patterns you found or ideas you have about Paper Pool tables and the path of the ball.

Examine Your Data

1. What patterns do you observe in the table? Which of these patterns may be useful in predicting the outcome for a Paper Pool table of any size?

2. Examine the dimensions for all pool tables where the ball lands in the same corner with the same number of hits. What do you observe?