Quit While You're Ahead (Posted on 2003-11-10)

	Submitted by DJ
Rating: 3.5556 (9 votes)
Solution:	(Hide)
6/11 There is a 1/6 chance that he will lose on the first shot, and a 5/6 chance that he doesn't. If he doesn't, the other man then also has a 1/6 chance (since the chamber is respun) of losing, and a 5/6 chance that he survives the second turn. Therefore, there is a (5/6)(5/6)= 25/36 probability that the first man takes a second shot, at which point the game essentially starts over. From this point, there is the same chance that he loses any time after the first shot as after the third shot, etc. Putting this into an equation: P = 1/6 + (25/36)P (11/36)P = 1/6 P = 6/11

	Subject	Author	Date
	Puzzle Solution	K Sengupta	2008-04-14 16:24:41
	Answer	K Sengupta	2008-03-20 09:42:59
	re(3): A footnote to this problem	Hal9000	2003-11-15 10:58:40
	re(2): A footnote to this problem	Dan	2003-11-13 09:54:00
	No Subject	Hal9000	2003-11-11 16:17:39
	re(4): Inconclusive :-)	Hal9000	2003-11-11 16:05:07
	re(4): Inconclusive :-)	SilverKnight	2003-11-11 15:22:37
	re(3): Inconclusive :-)	SilverKnight	2003-11-11 15:08:15
	re(2): Inconclusive :-)	Hal9000	2003-11-11 15:00:03
	re: Inconclusive :-)	SilverKnight	2003-11-11 14:45:04
	Inconclusive	Hal9000	2003-11-11 14:36:21
	re(3): A footnote to this problem	Federico Kereki	2003-11-11 09:32:33
	re(3): A footnote to this problem	Popstar Dave	2003-11-11 07:11:29
	re(2): A footnote to this problem	Dan	2003-11-10 20:30:57
	re: A footnote to this problem	Popstar Dave	2003-11-10 18:50:30
	A footnote to this problem	Dan	2003-11-10 15:59:16
	An easy solution	Federico Kereki	2003-11-10 12:46:22
	completeness	Lee	2003-11-10 11:45:12
	re: solution	wonshot	2003-11-10 10:32:29
	solution	Lee	2003-11-10 10:29:36
	re: Solution	wonshot	2003-11-10 10:28:12
	solution	wonshot	2003-11-10 10:25:44
	Solution	Popstar Dave	2003-11-10 07:08:00