You play a coin flipping game with 5 coins. On round 1 you flip all of them. On round 2, you pick up all the ones that came up tails (leaving all the heads alone) and flip them again. You continue to do this until all the coins are heads. For example:
Round 1: H T T H T
Round 2: - H T - H
Round 3: - - T - -
Round 4: - - T - -
Round 5: - - H - -
Done in 5 Rounds.
What is the expected number of rounds you'll need to finish the game?
What is the probability you will finish the game in 3 rounds or less?
(In reply to
Flip vs. Toss by nikki)
The God of Flooble decrees that Lord Brian uses the word "flip" as you Enchantress Nikki use the word toss. It can be seen in the example that he doesn't just turn them over, and quite frankly that would make for a rather boring game. So it is written, so it shall be done.
THE GOD OF FLOOBLE HAS SPOKEN!
Edited on October 13, 2004, 5:14 pm
re: Flip vs. Toss
