the probability when a fair coin is tossed five times, that exactly
two are heads. Although this example follows a Binomial Distribution, students learn how to
construct this probability prior to ever hearing its name. Thus, the calculations of these
probabilities are not new, but the names and specific properties are. We may believe that the
application of these distributions should not be troublesome if students have already had
exposure to the calculations. However, students often struggle in the probability unit
distinguishing between permutations and combinations as well as “with replacement” and
“without replacement.” From our experience, adding the names and properties to these
distributions simply confuses students more.