A group of crazy bank robbers try to crack a safe, even though they don't have a clue what the code is. The code has 5 numbers in, and the numbers on the dial range from 1 to 60. If they crack the safe, they get £100 billion.(That's a British billion - a million million). If they get the code wrong, they get caught and fined £1 million.

Assuming the bank robbers don't enter the same code twice, if they keep trying and re-trying until they crack the safe, are they more likely to have lost or gained money? If so, how much would they probably gain/lose?

(In reply to solution by Daniel)

I just read over my solution and realize my reasoning and the entire answer itself is completely incorrect. Sorry about that. Furthermore, you might assume as in most locks that you start going in one direction, after you get to the next number, in order for the mechanism to lock, you must go in the next direction. Therefore there are only twice as my options.

Posted by Daniel on 2003-08-11 17:25:09