Re: [Phys-l] Monty Hall problem

[John Mallinckrodt <ajm@csupomona.edu>]

chuck britton wrote:

> I'd have to read whatever 'version' is being referred to in order to agree or disagree.
>
> Was she specifying a game show or a battle of nit-picking?
>
> Show me your 'version'.

It's not "my version."  I'm using precisely the same one that I previously referred to:

   https://carnot.physics.buffalo.edu/archives/2011/1_2011/msg00083.html

the one from Wikipedia that Bill Robertson pointed to at the very beginning of this thread:

   https://carnot.physics.buffalo.edu/archives/2011/1_2011/msg00072.html

the one that (as I understand it) was originally presented by Marilyn.  

Again, then, it was:

> Suppose you're on a game show, and you're given the choice of three doors. Behind one door is a car, behind the others, goats. You pick a door, say #1, and the host, who knows what's behind the doors, opens another door, say #3, which has a goat. He says to you, "Do you want to pick door #2?" Is it to your advantage to switch your choice of doors?


As much as I agree with you that the most likely intent was that the host ALWAYS opens a door with a goat behind it, but it simply doesn't make that clear.  

I really can't believe that you think this is nitpicking as opposed to talking about what happens on real game shows.  Why on Earth wouldn't a game show host possibly be motivated by either a) the desire to protect the prize donors by doing everything in his power not to give prizes away or b) the desire to make the show more attractive to viewers by helping contestants win prizes.

Perhaps more importantly, I happen to have a led a dissolute enough life as a youngster that I actually watched "Let's Make a Deal" quite few times and I can report first hand that Monty did NOT always open a door with a "goat" and offer the contestant the chance to switch!

John Mallinckrodt
Cal Poly Pomona