The following simulations enable you to experiment and see how sampling actually works. These are simulations, but in one important sense they are quite real. The data are simulated, but the mechanisms you will see at work at these sites are the same mechanisms at work when you sample real data from the real world.

• The The Probability Pipe Organ provides a good demonstration of data simulated based on runs of several coin-flips. Read the explanation and play with this demonstration.

• With this simulation, you can draw samples from the normal distribution

• Experiment with the theory behind this simulation of The Central Limit Theorem which uses simulated data from dice throws.

• Use this excellent interactive Sampling Distribution Simulation to draw a sample and see the resulting distribution of the mean.

• Finally, explore this site to view different Sample Distributions. Click on 'Start' and watch the animation.