GAME: MindTrap

Or, we could go with the basic analysis here, that your chances are 50-50 no matter what you do.

Either you will, or you won't - sounds like 50-50 to me.

it doesn't matter either way i've tried proving my point. perhaps my math is too rusty for it, plus the question is really closed, i was just pointing out an error.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Khazad

that is the way people look at it at first, even myself, but i remember this exact question being raised in my finite mathematics class and i got it wrong giving 3fs' answer. You are right that you have a 50% chance of picking the right container, but that is not the question it is about picking a white ball. I'm a little rusty on my finite, but i'll try to explain it better.

You're looking at a single permutation of selecting the correct jar, and then with only one ball in it, the answer would be correct. This problem however uses commonatorics (or something like that) where all the permutations have to be factored in to get the overall permutation)

by just looking at choosing a white ball regardless of what container they're in the odds are 150 choose 100 (=~66%) and by 3fs's situation 1 chose 1 (only 1 white ) times 149 choose 99 (the other container) = 1 * 99/149 =~ 66%

This may not explain it enough for you, but my finite is a little rusty.

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Well, it's enough to give me a throbbing headache... :p

Seriously, I went with the accepted answer as I usually do so as to limit discussions and bloodshed.


I'm afraid I'll have to stick with the original answer, even if I do understand your statistical theory in this example.

Bonus point to you for pointing it out though.

Way to go Khazad, you gave Adept a headache, now he's "not in the mood" to play the game today. https://forums.windrivers.com/images.../2005/03/1.gif

Quote:

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Originally Posted by 3fingersalute

Way to go Khazad, you gave Adept a headache, now he's "not in the mood" to play the game today. https://forums.windrivers.com/images.../2005/03/1.gif

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as long as i don't give a woman a headache so that they're "not in the mood", i'm ok with that.
:thumbs2:

Maybe Adept's not really that far from a woman ??

are you calling him a transvestite?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by 3fingersalute

Maybe Adept's not really that far from a woman ??

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Well, aside from having to work 100Km away, mine is usually pretty close by. ;)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Khazad

are you calling him a transvestite?

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Well, if the shoe (or thong) fits................

[QUOTE Shrek]
Donky: Say something crazy, like you're wearing women's underwear.
Pinnochio: I'm wearing women's underwear.
*nothing happens*
Donkey: You're not are you?
Pinnochio: No
*nose grows*
Gingy: It's a thong!
[/QUOTE]

I don't know why that popped into my head.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by 3fingersalute

Well, if the shoe (or thong) fits................

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Regardless of whether or not you do have ESP, that was a very distasteful thing to say.

In all sense of the word. :p

hmmm ... no denial, now i'm scared

Quote:

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Originally Posted by a d e p t

Regardless of whether or not you do have ESP, that was a very distasteful thing to say.

In all sense of the word. :p

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Man, I really get singled out here by you.......I am not the one who used the word transvestite, yet you point the finger at me??? https://forums.windrivers.com/images.../2005/03/1.gif

After a day picking strawberries I had a basket full. I ate 5 and gave Geoff half of the remaining.

I then ate another 3 and gave Simon one third of the remaining. I ate another 6 and then gave Kim two thirds of the remaining.

I now had 34 strawberries left.

How many did I start with?



___________
335 strawberries.
Ate 5 = 330, gave half to Geoff = 165, ate 3 = 162, gave one third to Simon = 108, ate 6 = 102, gave two thirds to Kim = 34 left.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by a d e p t

After a day picking strawberries I had a basket full. I ate 5 and gave Geoff half of the remaining.

I then ate another 3 and gave Simon one third of the remaining. I ate another 6 and then gave Kim two thirds of the remaining.

I now had 34 strawberries left.

How many did I start with?

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335

34 is 1/3 of 102
102 + 6 =108
108 is 2/3 of 162
162 + 3 =165
165 is 1/2 of 330
330 + 5 =335