Simulating the

Buffon Needle Problem

This DIGMath module simulates
the Buffon Needle Problem
with n needles of length L.

100

90

80

70

60

50

40

How many random needles (50-200)?

84
30

20

How long L is each needle (1-12)?

10

How wide W is the strip (10-90)?

10

20

30

40

61

Out of 84 random needles

123 crossed the strip li
Run a New Set of Samples0
0

Click each item below for suggestions and investigations

Item 1
Item 2
Item 3

Created by: Sheldon P. Gordon & Florence S. Gordon

Farmingdale StateCollege NYIT
Development of this module was supported by the
NSF's Division of Undergraduate Education
under grants DUE-0310123 and DUE-0442160.

According to probability t
the expected number o

100

90

80

70

60

50

40

30

20

10

10

20

30

40

50

60

Out of 84 random needles of length 8,

123 crossed the strip line
According to probability theory,
the expected number of 'hits' = 7.0

70

80

90

100

n
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49

x0
29.13635
64.05374
94.13817
22.64597
38.40143
37.13316
9.12008
12.57024
21.25558
38.19057
20.06318
67.54423
80.21239
10.81124
84.30161
42.47082
48.79656
90.11687
20.53273
46.62312
71.6101
18.39887
78.60918
33.53704
52.63164
64.66959
45.55853
14.90195
95.66314
17.87279
50.04326
78.38895
31.77199
95.55455
6.715333
6.798595
44.59152
61.72623
92.73816
56.94127
81.60891
88.29162
62.70057
5.735421
98.24038
20.28563
38.05218
69.53516
84.13275

y0
21.62694
37.11701
58.57989
17.99752
69.93597
60.55724
24.42751
58.07362
41.19663
21.0802
34.47629
45.10589
27.15668
66.92283
50.0385
39.07094
64.13697
32.58843
10.49793
11.17461
45.02871
14.91408
12.86069
38.54892
14.00572
61.61689
27.35366
19.65537
47.21748
54.26886
58.79156
16.2345
32.67703
26.0107
50.06796
15.72832
67.69033
58.39417
22.13381
12.30514
67.05468
59.78105
11.49477
53.07809
44.23698
47.96508
53.73957
66.61529
18.10186

3.80
6.08
3.73
3.93
2.50
2.61
2.68
1.45
4.82
2.07
4.84
3.99
0.02
1.87
3.40
2.13
0.20
0.92
2.12
4.58
2.93
5.83
6.13
0.40
3.23
0.77
4.65
5.67
3.14
2.78
1.98
1.80
4.48
2.32
3.80
1.72
4.05
2.33
3.72
3.66
1.59
5.90
0.97
4.96
3.99
2.10
2.32
1.86
0.98

x
y
Count
29.13635 21.62694
22.80298 16.73936

64.05374 37.11701
71.8834 35.47491

94.13817 58.57989
87.49676 54.11987

22.64597 17.99752
17.03059 12.2995

38.40143 69.93597
31.99657 74.72947

37.13316 60.55724
30.23829 64.61444

9.12008 24.42751
1.973519 28.02288

12.57024 58.07362
13.50984 66.01825

21.25558 41.19663
22.14882 33.24666

38.19057 21.0802
34.34571 28.09568

20.06318 34.47629
21.08482 26.54179

67.54423 45.10589
62.26811 39.09236

80.21239 27.15668
88.211 27.30581

10.81124 66.92283
8.458935 74.56918

84.30161 50.0385
76.56666 47.99631

42.47082 39.07094
38.2013 45.83638

48.79656 64.13697

50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100

94.64983
32.45489
74.20278
99.43668
76.48436
35.33232
90.10571
76.41676
89.05571
56.24334
41.75413
49.58001
41.1563
64.44185
37.85612
77.6428
72.34068
55.91672
36.92537
31.49114
24.76784
65.39774
63.58027
46.07706
50.60443
99.81532
81.84835
7.544304
88.6066
43.83287
15.34663
25.48812
45.11599
8.63615
45.85405
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0

34.24984
65.69691
12.40363
14.38417
53.22679
58.08981
31.21248
55.45919
12.33575
45.77874
66.46898
40.75786
56.26723
63.89566
28.69084
11.89838
18.64295
65.59327
62.54987
51.06623
24.08806
38.89083
21.9798
55.178
13.37038
25.00212
29.3642
54.23557
26.77462
49.10901
18.24908
50.56145
32.01427
37.47336
15.01413
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0

2.78
1.84
4.20
2.77
3.41
2.99
0.02
2.38
4.07
0.58
4.17
1.75
1.30
0.41
5.56
5.37
6.19
5.43
5.65
6.17
6.18
5.92
0.49
3.31
1.67
0.72
5.10
4.28
3.04
1.32
1.67
0.98
5.77
2.94
2.51
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00

56.63311 65.74582

90.11687 32.58843
94.95834 38.95712

20.53273 10.49793
16.33284 17.30681

46.62312 11.17461
45.58902 3.241725

71.6101 45.02871
63.79135 46.72195

18.39887 14.91408
25.57592 11.37996

78.60918 12.86069
86.52091 11.67561

33.53704 38.54892
40.90589 41.6634

52.63164 14.00572
44.66218 13.30744

64.66959 61.61689
70.4367 67.1613

45.55853 27.35366
45.032 19.37101

14.90195 19.65537
21.46279 15.07767

95.66314 47.21748
87.66315 47.20347

17.87279 54.26886
10.3921 57.10422

50.04326 58.79156
46.86022 66.13106

78.38895 16.2345
76.54385 24.01882

31.77199 32.67703
29.90616 24.89765

95.55455

26.0107

101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151

0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0

0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0

0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00

90.11868 31.88022

6.715333 50.06796
0.398122 45.15951

6.798595 15.72832
5.642991 23.64442

44.59152 67.69033
39.69323 61.36524

61.72623 58.39417
56.19792 64.17672

92.73816 22.13381
86.0482 17.74695

56.94127 12.30514
49.99492 8.336747

81.60891 67.05468
81.44816 75.05306

88.29162 59.78105
95.72357 56.8203

62.70057 11.49477
67.20902 18.10339

5.735421 53.07809
7.666261 45.3146

98.24038 44.23698
92.94485 38.24054

20.28563 47.96508
16.226 54.85852

38.05218 53.73957
32.63105 59.62272

69.53516 66.61529
67.2308 74.27622

84.13275 18.10186
88.5901 24.74505

94.64983 34.24984
87.15418 37.04541

32.45489 65.69691

152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193
194
195
196
197
198
199
200

0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0

0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0

0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00

30.3146

73.4053

74.20278 12.40363
70.29489 5.423052

99.43668 14.38417
91.98708 17.30023

76.48436 53.22679
68.77224 51.10001

35.33232 58.08981
27.42698 59.31678

90.10571 31.21248
98.1039 31.38232

76.41676 55.45919
70.62342 60.97618

89.05571 12.33575
84.29449 5.906848

56.24334 45.77874
62.91965 50.18634

41.75413 66.46898
37.63015 59.61385

49.58001 40.75786
48.1656 48.63184

41.1563 56.26723
43.29943 63.97482

64.44185 63.89566
71.76732 67.11085

37.85612 28.69084
43.87349 23.4191

77.6428 11.89838
82.55327 5.582743

72.34068 18.64295
80.30259 17.86318

55.91672 65.59327
61.18051 59.56894

36.92537 62.54987

43.39562

57.845

31.49114 51.06623
39.43883 50.15284

24.76784 24.08806
32.72326 23.24469

65.39774 38.89083
72.86702 36.02552

63.58027 21.9798
70.64209 25.73889

46.07706
55.178
38.19674 53.79942

50.60443 13.37038
49.81919 21.33175

99.81532 25.00212
105.833 30.2735

81.84835 29.3642
84.85493 21.95067

7.544304 54.23557
4.183331 46.97583

88.6066 26.77462
80.64845 27.59187

43.83287 49.10901
45.83025 56.85565

15.34663 18.24908
14.55211 26.20953

25.48812 50.56145
29.93512 57.21158

45.11599 32.01427
52.08613 28.0878

8.63615 37.47336
0.802524 39.09641

45.85405 15.01413
39.38809 19.7249

0
8

0
0

0
8

0
0

0
8

0
0

0
8

0
0

0
8

0
0

0
8

0
0

0
8

0
0

0
8

0
0

0
8

0
0

0
8

0
0

0
8

0
0

0
8

0
0

0
8

0
0

0
8

0
0

0
8

0
0

0
8

0
0

0
8

0
0

0
8

0
0

0
8

0
0

0
8

0
0

0
8

0
0

0
8

0
0

0
8

0
0

0
8

0
0

0
8

0
0

0
8

0
0

0
8

0
0

0
8

0
0

0
8

0
0

0
8

0
0

0
8

0
0

0
8

0
0

0
8

0
0

0
8

0
0

0
8

0
0

0
8

0
0

0
8

0
0

0
8

0
0

0
8

0
0

0
8

0
0

0
8

0
0

0
8

0
0

0
8

0
0

0
8

0
0

0
8

0
0

0
8

0
0

0
8

0
0

0
8

0
0

0
8

0
0

0
8

0
0

0
8

0
0

0
8

0
0

0
8

0
0

0
8

0
0

0
8

0
0

0
8

0
0

0
8

0
0

0
8

0
0

0
8

0
0

0
8

0
0

0
8

0
0

0
8

0
0

0
8

0
0

0
8

0
0

0
8

0
0

0
8

0
0

0
8

0
0

0
8

0
0

0
8

0
0

0
8

0
0

0
8

0
0

0
8

0
0

0
8

0
0

0
8

0
0

0
8

0
0

0
8

0
0

0
8

0
0

0
8

0
0

0
8

0
0

0
8

0
0

0
8

0
0

0
8

0
0

0
8

0
0

0
8

0
0

0
8

0
0

0
8

0
0

0
8

0
0

0
8

0
0

0
8

0
0

0
8

0
0

0
8

0
0

0
8

0
0

0
8

0
0

0
8

0
0

0
8

0
0

0
8

0
0

0
8

0
0

0
8

0
0

0
8

0
0

0
8

0
0

0
8

0
0

0
8

0
0

0
8

0
0

0
8

0
0

0
8

0
0

0
8

0
0

0.0
100.0

10
10

0
100

71
71

0
10

0
0

Number of hits
Expected=

123
7.0