ABSTRACT
Pascal, in correspondence with Fermat in 1654, first set out the principles of the theory of probabilities in response to a request from Chevalier de Mere for some advice about how to play certain gambling games. Since then probability has been formalised and acknowledged as an important part of the discipline of mathematics. At the same time, the language of chance has more and more pervaded our everyday lives. Today, we hear sports commentators talking about a 50/50 ball; we hear weather forecasters announcing a 60 per cent chance of rain; health and other risks are assessed in terms of probabilities; it seems that no aspect of our daily rituals can escape the vagaries of chance. Thus, the study of probability and randomness has a relevance to children’s culture that is all too difficult to find in some other mathematical domains.
