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Post by beren44 on Feb 6, 2018 19:03:17 GMT
Ok, put on your thinking caps. I think I know the correct answer, and why. I found it to be a very interesting question, for sure.  |
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Post by Hari Seldon on Feb 7, 2018 1:23:44 GMT
Ok, put on your thinking caps. I think I know the correct answer, and why. I found it to be a very interesting question, for sure. It's one of those paradox questions. If there's 4 choices and one of them is correct then the answer would be 25%, however 25% is listed twice making the probability of getting that answer 50%, except 50% is wrong because it is only one of the choices.
It's just like the old: "The next statement I make will be a lie." "I'm lying." |
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Post by beren44 on Feb 8, 2018 20:08:13 GMT
Ok, put on your thinking caps. I think I know the correct answer, and why. I found it to be a very interesting question, for sure. Beren says 'my reply is in your' It's one of those paradox questions. If there's 4 choices and one of them is correct then the answer would be 25%, however 25% is listed twice making the probability of getting that answer 50%, except 50% is wrong because it is only one of the choices.
It's just like the old: "The next statement I make will be a lie." "I'm lying."
Beren says:
Consider the question as it is written. Nothing says to use the following example. Therefore, presuming it is multiple choice, the only correct answer is 1/N.
N being the number of choices.
Taken further into the abstract, nothing even defines it as a multiple choice question, which leads to this:
NO ANSWER. You can equally add another example to the same question, say,
"How many numbers are there in the universe? If there are 4 choices, the answer is 25%. (Assuming at least one choice is correct, 'infinite'
)
If the number of choices is infinite, the answer becomes 1/infinity, which mathematically approaches zero.
Consider if it is a multiple choice question, i.e. a finite number of choices, and NONE of the answers are correct, then the solution is 1/0, mathematically 'undefined'
Like I said, I found it interesting. I am a nerd: D
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Post by beren44 on Feb 8, 2018 20:58:24 GMT
In other words, Hari Seldon, put your finger over the table provided as a distraction, and then try to answer the question. Its deep, man. |
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Post by haxemon on Feb 8, 2018 21:13:52 GMT
It's ironic that you gave five options in your poll. Meaning the random odds would be 1/5 or 20% which isn't one of the answers in the original question. So E?
But yes, the question needs context. If it's "what are the odds of guessing right with four options" then it's academic (25%). If you don't know the number of options then it's technically "almost zero" as you outlined. If you actually look at the answers provided it gets messy since the "right" answer appears twice which makes it twice as likely which makes it the wrong answer.
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Post by Hari Seldon on Feb 8, 2018 21:19:35 GMT
Bottom line: It's a question for a philosophy class, not a math class.  |
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Post by beren44 on Feb 8, 2018 21:38:25 GMT
It's ironic that you gave five options in your poll. Meaning the random odds would be 1/5 or 20% which isn't one of the answers in the original question. So E? But yes, the question needs context. If it's "what are the odds of guessing right with four options" then it's academic (25%). If you don't know the number of options then it's technically "almost zero" as you outlined. If you actually look at the answers provided it gets messy since the "right" answer appears twice which makes it twice as likely which makes it the wrong answer. Yes, I intentionally added the fifth choice, and I agree it is the correct answer to the POLL. It even distracts further from the fact that it is an ill-formed question to start with. |
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Post by beren44 on Feb 9, 2018 23:20:54 GMT
Jemma Simmons, what would it take for me to sweet-talk you into adding a sub-board to the Common Room, entitled 'Puzzles and Such' or something, and moving this thread and the Monty Hall thread to it? It may not generate a whole lot of response, yet at least some of us here enjoy such things, and there is not a real category for it yet. Pretty please, when and if you get a chance? 
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Post by Jemma Simmons on Feb 10, 2018 0:23:10 GMT
Jemma Simmons, what would it take for me to sweet-talk you into adding a sub-board to the Common Room, entitled 'Puzzles and Such' or something, and moving this thread and the Monty Hall thread to it? It may not generate a whole lot of response, yet at least some of us here enjoy such things, and there is not a real category for it yet. Pretty please, when and if you get a chance? Easy enough!  I'll go do it now. |
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