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Probability question: names in hats
#33
RE: Probability question: names in hats
Can anyone confirm that these are all the combinations in which all but the last person can draw any name but their own when there are 3 people total and for when there are 4 people total?

Let 1 = first person to draw, and a= his name slip; Let 2 = second person to draw, and b = his name slip; and so on.

Then for three people, the combinations in which all but the last person can draw any name but their own:

1b,2a,3c     1c,2a,3b             Of these three combinations there is only 1 in which the last person draws his name, 
1b,2c,3a                              P(last person is left with his own name) = 1/3 for 3 people

For four people, the combinations in which all but the last person can draw any name but their own:

1b,2a,3d,4c     1c,2a,3b,4d     1d,2a,3b,4c             Of these there are only two combinations  
1b,2c,3a,4d     1c,2a,3d,4b     1d,2c,3a,4b             in which the last person draws his name, 
1b,2c,3d,4a     1c,2d,3a,4b     1d,2c,3b,4a             P(last person is left with his own name) = 2/11 for 4 people
1b,2d,3a,4c     1c,2d,3b,4a     


It would be no fun to type up all the combinations I got for 5 people, but I count 51 combinations in which all but the last person draws a person's name other than their own.  Of these I count 9 of them in which the last person draws his own name.  (But I am much less confident in these totals.)  If correct that would make P(last person is left with his own name) = 9/51, or if you like, 3/17 for 5 people

Again, if anyone can confirm my count of combinations I would be obliged.  Rob, you were certainly correct about this being one hell of an unwieldy problem.  I wonder if it will allow for an elegant solution.  I've got nothing so far.
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Messages In This Thread
Probability question: names in hats - by robvalue - March 14, 2016 at 5:45 am
RE: Probability question: names in hats - by robvalue - March 14, 2016 at 6:06 am
RE: Probability question: names in hats - by Mr.wizard - March 14, 2016 at 6:58 am
RE: Probability question: names in hats - by robvalue - March 14, 2016 at 7:03 am
RE: Probability question: names in hats - by Mr.wizard - March 14, 2016 at 7:08 am
RE: Probability question: names in hats - by ignoramus - March 14, 2016 at 7:03 am
RE: Probability question: names in hats - by Whateverist - March 14, 2016 at 11:18 am
RE: Probability question: names in hats - by ignoramus - March 14, 2016 at 7:19 am
RE: Probability question: names in hats - by robvalue - March 14, 2016 at 7:47 am
RE: Probability question: names in hats - by Aractus - March 14, 2016 at 8:13 am
RE: Probability question: names in hats - by Aractus - March 15, 2016 at 12:26 am
RE: Probability question: names in hats - by robvalue - March 14, 2016 at 8:29 am
RE: Probability question: names in hats - by robvalue - March 14, 2016 at 11:02 am
RE: Probability question: names in hats - by robvalue - March 14, 2016 at 11:12 am
RE: Probability question: names in hats - by Whateverist - March 14, 2016 at 11:59 pm
RE: Probability question: names in hats - by Whateverist - March 14, 2016 at 11:13 am
RE: Probability question: names in hats - by robvalue - March 14, 2016 at 11:17 am
RE: Probability question: names in hats - by Whateverist - March 14, 2016 at 11:22 am
RE: Probability question: names in hats - by robvalue - March 14, 2016 at 11:25 am
RE: Probability question: names in hats - by Whateverist - March 14, 2016 at 11:42 am
RE: Probability question: names in hats - by robvalue - March 14, 2016 at 1:50 pm
RE: Probability question: names in hats - by robvalue - March 14, 2016 at 11:45 am
RE: Probability question: names in hats - by Whateverist - March 14, 2016 at 12:40 pm
RE: Probability question: names in hats - by brewer - March 14, 2016 at 1:05 pm
RE: Probability question: names in hats - by Chas - March 14, 2016 at 1:54 pm
RE: Probability question: names in hats - by robvalue - March 14, 2016 at 2:00 pm
RE: Probability question: names in hats - by Chas - March 14, 2016 at 3:04 pm
RE: Probability question: names in hats - by Chas - March 14, 2016 at 11:17 pm
RE: Probability question: names in hats - by robvalue - March 14, 2016 at 2:05 pm
RE: Probability question: names in hats - by robvalue - March 14, 2016 at 2:09 pm
RE: Probability question: names in hats - by Whateverist - March 14, 2016 at 9:24 pm
RE: Probability question: names in hats - by Chas - March 14, 2016 at 11:48 pm
RE: Probability question: names in hats - by ignoramus - March 14, 2016 at 11:31 pm
RE: Probability question: names in hats - by Chas - March 14, 2016 at 11:47 pm
RE: Probability question: names in hats - by Whateverist - March 14, 2016 at 11:51 pm
RE: Probability question: names in hats - by Silver - March 15, 2016 at 12:02 am
RE: Probability question: names in hats - by robvalue - March 15, 2016 at 3:06 am
RE: Probability question: names in hats - by Whateverist - March 15, 2016 at 11:23 am
RE: Probability question: names in hats - by robvalue - March 15, 2016 at 11:35 am
RE: Probability question: names in hats - by Whateverist - March 15, 2016 at 11:55 am
RE: Probability question: names in hats - by robvalue - March 15, 2016 at 12:00 pm
RE: Probability question: names in hats - by Whateverist - March 15, 2016 at 1:10 pm
RE: Probability question: names in hats - by Aractus - March 15, 2016 at 12:52 pm
RE: Probability question: names in hats - by Whateverist - March 15, 2016 at 1:23 pm
RE: Probability question: names in hats - by robvalue - March 15, 2016 at 12:56 pm
RE: Probability question: names in hats - by robvalue - March 15, 2016 at 1:19 pm
RE: Probability question: names in hats - by Whateverist - March 15, 2016 at 1:31 pm
RE: Probability question: names in hats - by robvalue - March 15, 2016 at 1:26 pm
RE: Probability question: names in hats - by robvalue - March 15, 2016 at 1:35 pm
RE: Probability question: names in hats - by robvalue - March 15, 2016 at 1:38 pm
RE: Probability question: names in hats - by robvalue - March 15, 2016 at 1:52 pm
RE: Probability question: names in hats - by Whateverist - March 15, 2016 at 5:34 pm
RE: Probability question: names in hats - by robvalue - March 16, 2016 at 2:44 am
RE: Probability question: names in hats - by Whateverist - March 16, 2016 at 3:06 am
RE: Probability question: names in hats - by robvalue - March 16, 2016 at 3:21 am
RE: Probability question: names in hats - by robvalue - March 16, 2016 at 4:21 am
RE: Probability question: names in hats - by ignoramus - March 16, 2016 at 4:52 am
RE: Probability question: names in hats - by robvalue - March 16, 2016 at 5:03 am
RE: Probability question: names in hats - by robvalue - March 16, 2016 at 5:54 am
RE: Probability question: names in hats - by Cyberman - March 16, 2016 at 7:50 am
RE: Probability question: names in hats - by robvalue - March 16, 2016 at 8:13 am
RE: Probability question: names in hats - by Whateverist - March 16, 2016 at 8:16 am
RE: Probability question: names in hats - by robvalue - March 16, 2016 at 8:19 am
RE: Probability question: names in hats - by emjay - March 17, 2016 at 10:38 am
RE: Probability question: names in hats - by Aractus - March 18, 2016 at 12:30 am
RE: Probability question: names in hats - by Whateverist - March 18, 2016 at 1:34 am
RE: Probability question: names in hats - by Aractus - March 18, 2016 at 1:44 am
RE: Probability question: names in hats - by robvalue - March 18, 2016 at 7:50 am
RE: Probability question: names in hats - by Whateverist - March 18, 2016 at 7:59 am
RE: Probability question: names in hats - by robvalue - March 18, 2016 at 8:22 am
RE: Probability question: names in hats - by robvalue - March 19, 2016 at 12:58 pm
RE: Probability question: names in hats - by robvalue - March 19, 2016 at 2:25 pm
RE: Probability question: names in hats - by emjay - March 19, 2016 at 6:39 pm

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