A pretty easy but fun math problem, Coin flip |
 Sep 22 2009, 09:46 AM
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#1
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 Senior Member  Group: Administrator Posts: 2,648 Joined: Apr 2008 Member No: 639,265  |
On Monday, you flip a coin all day. You start flipping it until you see the pattern Head, Tail, Head. You record the number of flips required to reach this pattern, and start flipping again (and counting up from 1 again) until you see that pattern again, you record the second number, and start again. At the end of the day you average all of the numbers you’ve recorded.
On Tuesday you do the EXACT same thing except you flip until you see the pattern Head, Tail, Tail. Will Monday’s number be higher than Tuesday’s, equal to Tuesday’s, or lower than Tuesday’s? No Googling for the answer! |
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Sep 22 2009, 02:00 PM
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#2
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Senior Member Group: Administrator Posts: 2,648 Joined: Apr 2008 Member No: 639,265 |
Yeah, I just don't get the clever trick inherent in the comic -- the part where he says "It's language!" I was hoping that by taking the time to type this out, it would suddenly dawn on me...but that didn't happen.
Anyway, this problem isn't really "clever", it just demonstrates an (arguably) interesting use of statistics. |
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Posts in this topic
mipadi A pretty easy but fun math problem Sep 22 2009, 09:46 AM
serotonin I've seen this problem before. I couldn't... Sep 22 2009, 01:24 PM mipadi I think I am missing something in that comic. Sep 22 2009, 01:33 PM serotonin o idk i just found it amusing, kinda a jab at peop... Sep 22 2009, 01:39 PM serotonin Yeah, I suppose so. I guess I found the comic hum... Sep 22 2009, 02:05 PM
mipadi QUOTE(serotonin @ Sep 22 2009, 03:05 PM) ... Sep 22 2009, 02:11 PM serotonin I think so, too. Sep 22 2009, 02:14 PM dosomethin888 Wow, that comic plus the Wikipedia link is totally... Sep 22 2009, 04:42 PM |
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