Our server costs ~$56 per month to run. Please consider donating or becoming a Patron to help keep the site running. Help us gain new members by following us on Twitter and liking our page on Facebook!
Current time: November 4, 2026, 11:35 am

Poll: Would you switch(and why)?
You do not have permission to vote in this poll.
Yes
81.82%
9 81.82%
No
9.09%
1 9.09%
I don't know.
9.09%
1 9.09%
Total 11 vote(s) 100%
* You voted for this item. [Show Results]

Thread Rating:
  • 0 Vote(s) - 0 Average
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
The role of probability in solving the Monty Hall problem
RE: The role of probability in solving the Monty Hall problem
You make people miserable and there's nothing they can do about it, just like god.
-- Homer Simpson

God has no place within these walls, just as facts have no place within organized religion.
-- Superintendent Chalmers

Science is like a blabbermouth who ruins a movie by telling you how it ends. There are some things we don't want to know. Important things.
-- Ned Flanders

Once something's been approved by the government, it's no longer immoral.
-- The Rev Lovejoy
Reply
RE: The role of probability in solving the Monty Hall problem
Reply
RE: The role of probability in solving the Monty Hall problem
I missed that, your post was several away from his/hers/their's/whoever.
You make people miserable and there's nothing they can do about it, just like god.
-- Homer Simpson

God has no place within these walls, just as facts have no place within organized religion.
-- Superintendent Chalmers

Science is like a blabbermouth who ruins a movie by telling you how it ends. There are some things we don't want to know. Important things.
-- Ned Flanders

Once something's been approved by the government, it's no longer immoral.
-- The Rev Lovejoy
Reply
RE: The role of probability in solving the Monty Hall problem
(March 13, 2016 at 4:16 pm)robvalue Wrote: I've never had anyone get so angry about probability before.

When I've taught it in the past, if I got any signs of life out of my students I was doing well.
Really? I've seen a genetics class go bat shit over these two truths:

1 The probability of tossing 100 heads in a row is astronomical.
2. If you have just tossed 99 heads in a row, the chances of tossing another head is 50%.

Anger, fear, doubt, it was all there. Counter intuitive truths scare people. Shall we discuss economics. It's scary for many of the same reasons.
If there is a god, I want to believe that there is a god.  If there is not a god, I want to believe that there is no god.
Reply
RE: The role of probability in solving the Monty Hall problem
So long as we can post supply and demand graphs.

I'm always surprised when people talk about the pros/cons of minimum wage they never post S&D graphs to show equilibrium distortion. Makes things so much more visual.
Reply
RE: The role of probability in solving the Monty Hall problem
Yeah I think ep's trolling now. He's saying two things essentially: 1) the laws of probability only work if you assume that the person doesn't have a way to make them not work (I don't know what this could possibly mean... esp? X-ray vision?) and 2) it's rude of us to want him to have a better chance of winning because the comfort he gets from going with his gut is worth more than 1/3*((value of car)-(value of goat)).

I refuse to believe anyone could seriously propound those two viewpoints consecutively
How will we know, when the morning comes, we are still human? - 2D

Don't worry, my friend.  If this be the end, then so shall it be.
Reply
RE: The role of probability in solving the Monty Hall problem
Oh. My. God.

Initially there are 3doors inside which what we know not of (is that a correct sentence!?)
So the chance of getting a goat is not 50-50.
But after the host reveals a goat behind a door and asks you whether you want to switch :

You could have either chosen a goat initially.
You could have chosen a car initially.

Saying that the probability is not 50-50 is saying that Monty opens a door behind which he has a car and then asks you to switch. Shit damn.

Asking me to believe that the chance is not 50-50 is asking is to go against my common sense. There are two options car and goat, there are two doors, the chance of having chosen a goat initially is 50-50.
Reply
RE: The role of probability in solving the Monty Hall problem
(March 13, 2016 at 9:24 pm)pool the great Wrote: Oh. My. God.

Initially there are 3doors inside which what we know not of (is that a correct sentence!?)
So the chance of getting a goat is not 50-50.
But after the host reveals a goat behind a door and asks you whether you want to switch :

You could have either chosen a goat initially.
You could have chosen a car initially.

Saying that the probability is not 50-50 is saying that Monty opens a door behind which he has a car and then asks you to switch. Shit damn.

Asking me to believe that the chance is not 50-50 is asking is to go against my common sense. There are two options car and goat, there are two doors, the chance of having chosen a goat initially is 50-50.

No, it's not and it has been explained why it is not.

"Common sense" does not trump mathematics.
Skepticism is not a position; it is an approach to claims.
Science is not a subject, but a method.
Reply
RE: The role of probability in solving the Monty Hall problem
Now I feel like putting a kitten in boiling water ? Big Grin
Reply
RE: The role of probability in solving the Monty Hall problem
Exactly the reason why I said you people have the right mathematical answer not the right answer.
Reply



Possibly Related Threads…
Thread Author Replies Views Last Post
  RE: Solving a system of two trigonometric equations pjeuck 9 9349 May 21, 2025 at 12:10 pm
Last Post: BrianSoddingBoru4
  Solving a system of two trigonometric equations FlatAssembler 24 13798 May 20, 2025 at 5:23 am
Last Post: BrianSoddingBoru4
  A mathematical problem I can't seem to get Mathematica to auto solve. highdimensionman 6 4552 May 22, 2022 at 1:10 pm
Last Post: polymath257
  What's the probability that 3 out of 23 people will share the same birthday? FlatAssembler 28 11086 February 16, 2022 at 12:15 am
Last Post: Paleophyte
  Math problem that is driving the Internet crazy GrandizerII 49 19469 April 27, 2020 at 8:55 pm
Last Post: Smaug
  The Bellhop Problem Edwardo Piet 18 8231 May 23, 2018 at 11:03 pm
Last Post: polymath257
  Can you cut a cake fairly to solve this middle school math problem? Whateverist 82 31032 August 7, 2017 at 12:10 pm
Last Post: Joods
  Improving problem solving. deleteduser12345 17 8073 January 10, 2017 at 9:51 am
Last Post: ErGingerbreadMandude
  Dividing by variable when solving algebraic equation GrandizerII 56 21347 October 31, 2016 at 1:06 am
Last Post: Kernel Sohcahtoa
Question Maths problem to solve Aractus 24 10963 October 22, 2016 at 6:16 am
Last Post: Longhorn



Users browsing this thread: 1 Guest(s)