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Re: Marilyn and puppy litters



On Mon, 11 Aug 1997, John Mallinckrodt wrote:

So, did anyone else think Marilyn blew it yesterday?

John

P.S. For the "Parade Magazine-deprived," Marilyn had the cover article
this week and the lead question, printed on the cover was, "Your dog has a
litter of four. Is it most likely that two are males and two are
females?"

Of the sixteen possibilities, 8 are of the 3 + 1 variety, while only 6 are
of the 2 + 2 variety, so it would seem that Marilyn is correct in her
answer that it is more likely that the litter of four would have three of
one sex and one of the other sex than that it would be a 2-2 split.
(Always assuming both sexes equally likely on each birth, of course.)

A. R. Marlow E-MAIL:marlow@beta.loyno.edu
Department of Physics, Box 124 PHONE: (504) 865 3647 (Office)
Loyola University 865 2245 (Home)
New Orleans, LA 70118 FAX: (504) 865 2453