The Monty Hall Problem: The Remarkable Story of Math's Most Contentious Brain TeaserMathematicians call it the Monty Hall Problem, and it is one of the most interesting mathematical brain teasers of recent times. Imagine that you face three doors, behind one of which is a prize. You choose one but do not open it. The host--call him Monty Hall--opens a different door, always choosing one he knows to be empty. Left with two doors, will you do better by sticking with your first choice, or by switching to the other remaining door? In this light-hearted yet ultimately serious book, Jason Rosenhouse explores the history of this fascinating puzzle. Using a minimum of mathematics (and none at all for much of the book), he shows how the problem has fascinated philosophers, psychologists, and many others, and examines the many variations that have appeared over the years. As Rosenhouse demonstrates, the Monty Hall Problem illuminates fundamental mathematical issues and has abiding philosophical implications. Perhaps most important, he writes, the problem opens a window on our cognitive difficulties in reasoning about uncertainty. |
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User Review - richardderus - LibraryThingRating: 3.5 bumfuzzled stars of five The Publisher Says: Mathematicians call it the Monty Hall Problem, and it is one of the most interesting mathematical brain teasers of recent times. Imagine that ... Read full review
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User Review - swynn - LibraryThingHere's the Monty Hall problem: You are playing a game show according to the following rules. There are three doors. One door hides a car, and the other two hide goats. You want to win the car. You ... Read full review
Contents
| 1 | |
2 Classical Monty | 35 |
3 Bayesian Monty | 57 |
4 Progressive Monty | 89 |
5 Miscellaneous Monty | 113 |
6 Cognitive Monty | 133 |
7 Philosophical Monty | 155 |
8 Final Monty | 175 |
A Gallery of Variations | 179 |
| 183 | |
| 189 | |
Other editions - View all
The Monty Hall Problem: The Remarkable Story of Math's Most Contentious ... Jason Rosenhouse No preview available - 2009 |
Common terms and phrases
ace of spades answer argument assign a probability assume assumption Bayes Chapter chooses randomly chose door chosen classical version coin toss conceals a goat conceals the car conditional probability consider contestant correct deck door randomly doors remain empty door epistemic epistemic probabilities equal probability equiprobable expected value follows frequentist given host initial choice conceals initially choose door intuitive large number long run Marilyn vos Savant mathematical mathematicians Monty chooses Monty Hall problem Monty opens door Monty reveals Monty will open occur open door three opens a door options possible outcomes posterior probabilities prior probability prize probabilistic probability 12 probability assignments probability distribution probability of door probability of winning probability theory probability vector question ratio reasoning relevant remaining doors reveals a goat run of trials sample space Savant scenarios sticking strategy suppose switching doors theorem three doors unopened door win by switching win with probability
Bibliographic information
| Title | The Monty Hall Problem: The Remarkable Story of Math's Most Contentious Brain Teaser |
| Author | Jason Rosenhouse |
| Publisher | Oxford University Press, 2009 |
| ISBN | 0199709904, 9780199709908 |
| Length | 208 pages |
| Subjects | › › Mathematics / General Mathematics / Probability & Statistics / General |
| Export Citation | BiBTeX EndNote RefMan |