Activity: Reduction Division

What to use?
4 pieces of different colors of drinking straws
7 Plastic containers/cups
Pair of scissors
What to do?
1. Cut the straws into pieces (approximately 4 cm in size).
2. Prepare one pair per color by inserting one to the other.
3. Place the prepared pair of straws on the first jar (A). Make sure to lay
down all the jars based on the given illustration (Figure 1).
4. If ready, start picking the pair of straws from jar A and transfer them
randomly & equally to jars B and C. Record the color combinations per
jar.
Jar B : _________________________
Jar C: __________________________
5. Separate the pair of straws by pulling them apart and transfer them
equally from jar B to jars D & E and from jar C to jars F & G, one pair at
a time. (Pick-Separate-Transfer).

A
B

Figure 1. Sketch diagram

Key Points:
1.) What assumptions are represented by the following:
*straws
* jar A? jars B &C? jars D, E, F, &G?
* assorted color of straws
2.) What happened to the number of straws from jar A to B & C after the first
division?
Compare the color combination of straws in jar B and C?
3.) Compare the straws present in jars D, E, F, and G in terms of
* number
* color combination
3.) Compare the content of jars D, E, F & G with that of jar A.
4.) Finally, what do you think is the simulation all about?
5.) What might be the significant relation of this simulation to the production
of sperm and egg cells?