Comments on: Kids, ping-pong balls: it’s all the same.

By: Paul

Paul — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 01:58:42 +0000

Ruben, the point of controversy (even though I don’t see any) seems to stem from “how the knowledge about one kid being a boy’ is obtained”.
I think that’s a nonsensical objection, but anyway, you can find more about all that, (as well as more references) here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boy_or_Girl_paradox

I looked at some of the objections, and I’m finding myself sitting there shaking my head and mumbling “no, no, no, no, NO!”

BUT .. I have to be careful! Probability theory a tricky subject.

By: Ruben Agin

Ruben Agin — Sun, 22 Aug 2010 22:25:39 +0000

What is the point of controversy? It seems fairly obvious if you spend more than a few seconds thinking about it. Boils down to a simple combinatorics problem. Now, I can see why Monty Hall confounds so many and causes controversy. Beca…use of the wording and the conditional vs. unconditional probability. Why so many mathematicians blasted Marilyn vos Savant when she published it in 1991. Incidentally, the anecdote about Erdos is funny because it shows that the greatest mathematicians still have problems with basic probability. I think combinatorics should be taught before probability, as it is fundamental to many of its problems. Any good mathematician should be able to distill such a problem to the combinatorial equivalent and solve it.

By: Paul

Paul — Sun, 22 Aug 2010 02:05:46 +0000

Shit.

I thought I had a good argument, but I don’t think I can argue with this.

By: Your Wife

Your Wife — Sun, 22 Aug 2010 02:02:14 +0000

Laurilee, who is a GIRL was born on a Tuesday. Therefore, you are wrong. And I will gamble with you any time … if I win, YOU LOSE! If you win, I will immediately take away your money, because TODAY is Saturday.