Poll Position
Run a poll on a hidden population: choose a sampling method, set the sample size, correct the bias it injects, and publish an estimate that lands on the truth.
How to play
Each poll hides a population's true value. Pick a sampling method (each has a known bias and a cost), choose how many respondents to sample on a budget, then run it. Subtract the method's known bias to recover an unbiased estimate, watch your margin of error, and publish. You score when the true value falls inside your margin.
- A bigger sample shrinks the margin of error (about 1 over the square root of n) but costs more budget.
- Cleaner methods carry less bias but a higher price.
- Correct for the known bias before you publish.
Controls
- Desktop: click a method, drag the sample-size slider, toggle the bias correction, then run and publish.
- Phone & tablet: tap the method, drag the slider and use the buttons — fully touch-friendly.
Game modes
- Daily: a shared seeded population.
- Practice: fresh randomized polls each round.
Tips & strategy
- Balance sample size against method cost — sometimes a cheap biased method plus correction beats an expensive clean one.
- Always apply the known bias correction; raw cheap samples drift off the truth.
What you'll learn
Poll Position is a survey-sampling game about bias, sample size and margin of error.
- Skills: sampling, bias, sample size, margin of error
- Best for: roughly grades 9–12 (ages 14+)
- For parents & teachers: why and how polls can mislead.
About Poll Position
Poll Position is a survey-sampling game about bias, sample size and margin of error. It's an original free browser game built for PlayPendium.
A free, original browser game on PlayPendium — no download, no install. Browse all games →
