Fifty Challenging Problems in Probability 1. The Sock Drawer ‘A drawer onan cd socks and bck nck. When wo seks ae drawn sa tandom, te proba tht bo are rede () How small ean the Iuber of ccs nthe dower be? (@) How sali he numberof ck sorksis ve? 2 Successive Wine To encourage Elmer's promising tons carer, hi ther oles Nim a pra i he wine (tn) fo ten sti row in 2 three srt be Plyed with ater andthe cl chmplon arty ate laon- father champion atherchampion,texodig to Elmer's chows The ‘han ts beter peer than Eimer fate WAN Soe bold Ele eo? areas ‘3. ‘The Flippant Juror [A teoman jury has tno merters cach of whom independently ha potty pf making th oration ands hrd member who ips {Tin for te dessin (ary rus) chean jury has obi p making the covet desion Which joy as the beter probably ef 4, ‘Trials until Firat Success (nthe average, how many mat a le town ni one 6? 5. Coin in Square In como carnival gue player oes penny fom a dite of stout freon the sre of a abe aed a hears the pe (Gch dice) alt ently inet ure the per sce cot ‘utder nt gt penny back there eae pany. I the pey Tan on the abl, hat hi hae tn? 6. Chuck-a-Luck CChckLuck sa panbling ane fe played at camivas ad pling sowie A peer ma ton ny one the mbes 1234.6. Thee die we ale Ihe piers ster appar om eo, ea of he ‘de, he ever eget one, wo, tres ines hii sake ps hsb money back otherwise he foses bis sake Wha he payers eps loss pe unt sake? (Actual th player ay dtu stakes 0 ‘eral umber, but cack such sake can We ropa a 9 spas ot) 7. Curing the Compulsive Gambler Me. Bowe away be 3 dla om the number 13 colt psn the vice Kind Prien, To help cre Mr. Brown of plying role, Kind Fen aleys tes Brown 820 even money tat Bown wil be od theend of 6 plas. How ls the ae working? (ios Ameria ote wes have 18 eguly key number. the pines mur cones up, he pid 39 timer Stake 20d pes is orga [Ene bch aera be nes Me sabe) 1, Perfect Bridge Hand ‘We ten ed of smeone wo hs ben dea 1 spi at eige. With sneha pack of ar, what the chance ht You sre Sas perat Bang (13 of one sui? (Bvige spied wth an ovary pack of cas, TBnench of # sul and each of payers is eal 13) 9, Craps “The game of raps, aed with wo d,s oe of Ameri’ fe and ost popu ssmbing gene Calating the os stad witht a0‘hero ae tee. Only tot forthe tn die cust The ple trove the de and win atone the al fr the throw th nes toner 23,0 12, Any ober trow eed “pit => the at throw i pm the player hows the ie rept ntl he eter wine by ewig psi Kes yawn Wat he ee 10, An Experiment in Personal Taste for Money (@) An wa contain 10 ack al nd 10 wht hall, etal except for colar You choo “aco white” One bal is ran at nda, Andi ts color matches our choke, you e810, abrienohng Wie ‘iv the mani moun you ewig 0 py to ay te pe. The ‘ime wl be led at once. 0) Aliza of yous har ave many blck and many white ball she pts ack tnd wt lst the ue fost hima You shoot "Rink" or "wnite™ A tals awn encom from hs rn, Wet Some the manimum amount you a wing. py Yo pty his pane. The ne ‘ibe liye ut oe Problems without Structure (11 and 12) ‘Oa Heiner an Joba Walia of The RAND Corporation ave cal imp atention to ahs of preblens hat they cal "problems without Structure” whch Avert sem to hive pots ats, tbo totin tb unas 11. Silemt Cooperation “Two strangers te spate ste to chose ont of he positive whole sumer and ave! hat i they both chore the sae number, they Boch tae. Ifyou ere one of thse peopl, hat number Would Yusha? Skee a 12. Quo Vs “Two suangas who have pie recogaitn inl ape to meet certn Thay ot 2 soon in New York Cy town fra (ones {to dicots smporan urns del, ut ne they sve hat hey ave ho host a ming pice, and ner can reach te oie bet balk [ve carted on rp I they uy nevetees tome, were shal hy ” 13. The Prisoner's Dilemma “Thee prisoner, 4, By ad C with spent egal pod ecards have sled for parle. ‘The ple board has dete to fase two of the ier andthe prisons kaow this bt wot which two. wade end of prsonr 4 tnons wn fe tobe lesa. Prisoner 4 relies at it would Fee the name of oe pisces clr shan hil wh be eee He ‘his tht Before heal chan frees ae He thnk tht the wardr ays "B wil be lene,” hs ows ches ve sow gone Jove to tecnuse ihe Aand Bor Band Careo be reaied, Andes dees, totigedue chances by kag, Hower, 4 mtaken inhi ce tions Espa 14. Colleeting Coupons ‘Coupes in excl Bons ate number 10 5a eset neo ahi eragenrerequed tommke comple ee) 15. The Theater Row Eight lige tcl and seven beat odes bapen andor 10 ave preaued sige ss the same ISaeat fw of these On the ‘Sera, Row many pas of bce set tected fr mangle coors? 16. Will Second-Rest Be Runner-Up? A tennis ourmment bas 8 payer. The sumer a ple das rm 2—. Suppose that te et payer slays defeat the net Bet and thatthe Inter sys Stn a he est. The ler the false the rer ‘ip. Wht sthechnce tha he secod-be ple wn tease cup? 17. Twin Knighte a @ (© Sipps King Ata el outing ora wae te outs ‘het kmpis nthe ores re ely mate, en eye he ‘kn Bim ood Bln Whsr ue cans the ao ms nt ach rig tbe eure (epee sty nha poblen. Now wht ite hance a who me 18, An Even Split at Coin Tossing ‘When 100 xine ae toed, wha he probabty that exactly 50 are ent saosin oe oe sntr o 19, Iaane Newton Helps Samuel Pepys Pep wrote Newon 101k whch ofthe evens more il that 4 pers pt) at ast st when 6 die re ole, (@) at 2s when {Shc real) at nt ses when Tae atoll. What rte 20. ‘The Three-Cornered Duel 4, Bad C aro fh a heecorsred pital uel, Al kaw tats hace iting hag ie), Cais and Bnever aes Thy afl fre at thr che of target in Sozeson inte over A BC, eel (Gara Bitman fs fate tara a mo Toe sb tw ey one ‘Sea ket ua. What should satay te? 21. Should You Sample with or without Replacement? “Two wn contin ean ack ala aie emcet for clr. Urn tar Bree and I ack, and Urn Bf Orde an GD Sacks “As arn it those at random, andyou win ez you corre mame teu on he ‘et othe evicaceo fo bale ren ro Aer he ft al is color tpt, you ean dete ter or atthe Bll sll be ‘replace! before the sc rawing How So you der the seca dani, Tw do you cede on the urn? 22. The Ballot Box sand 8 woes eapesivey a >, for eumpl, 3 and 2. I tals me ase ‘Soy rows apd alle, what re ce tao ast once ae he et 23. Ties in Matching Pennies Pars A and Batch penne Wt, They Kap tly of hin ‘ad Ke, Ae the iat os wal tbe chance ht a 0 ine ro the tame wl ey Be eves? ‘