All about flooble | fun stuff | Get a free chatterbox | Free JavaScript | Avatars    
perplexus dot info

Home > Probability
Hawks and Doves (Posted on 2004-09-13) Difficulty: 3 of 5
Whenever a hawk meets a dove, the dove is killed. Whenever two hawks meet, they fight to death, and both are killed. And if two doves meet, nothing bad happens.

There are H hawks and D doves, and you are either a hawk or a dove. Assuming that meetings are random, what are your chances of survival?

  Submitted by Federico Kereki    
Rating: 3.5000 (2 votes)
Solution: (Hide)
No matter whether you are a hawk or a dove, you may disregard all meetings with doves, for you won't be killed. Also, whatever happens to doves doesn't affect your chances. So, you may consider the world to be populated only by N hawks and you. (N=H if you are a dove, and N=H-1 if you are a hawk.)

If N is odd, you'll be killed no matter what you are.

If N is even, it also makes no difference if you are a hawk or a dove; you'll be alive only if you are the last one standing, with odds 1/(N+1).

Comments: ( You must be logged in to post comments.)
  Subject Author Date
AnswerK Sengupta2008-10-19 23:55:42
WHAT IF...debbie2004-09-28 19:22:44
comment on official solutionTristan2004-09-27 20:16:35
No Subjectbernie2004-09-24 09:39:59
re(3): final proof of Oskars solutionMatthijs2004-09-20 07:29:37
re(2): not much of a clue hereMatthijs2004-09-17 11:15:47
re: not much of a clue hereMatthijs2004-09-17 08:10:52
Questionnot much of a clue heremichael2004-09-16 12:51:49
solution final partMatthijs2004-09-16 11:51:55
re(3): To Make Oskar's Solution Work...Charlie2004-09-13 20:22:03
re(2): To Make Oskar's Solution Work...David Shin2004-09-13 16:18:19
re: To Make Oskar's Solution Work...Charlie2004-09-13 12:09:43
SolutionTo Make Oskar's Solution Work...David Shin2004-09-13 10:57:15
re(2): Bird's Eye View !Charlie2004-09-13 10:42:31
re: Bird's Eye View !Charlie2004-09-13 10:34:07
Some Thoughtsre: Final partDavid Shin2004-09-13 10:29:08
SolutionBird's Eye View !Syzygy2004-09-13 09:56:25
Final partOskar2004-09-13 09:42:05
Some Thoughtsre: Half an answerCharlie2004-09-13 09:19:31
Some ThoughtsHalf an answerCharlie2004-09-13 09:15:17
Some Thoughtsre: Clarification RequestedSilverKnight2004-09-13 09:12:51
QuestionClarification RequestedDavid Shin2004-09-13 08:59:45
Please log in:
Login:
Password:
Remember me:
Sign up! | Forgot password


Search:
Search body:
Forums (0)
Newest Problems
Random Problem
FAQ | About This Site
Site Statistics
New Comments (8)
Unsolved Problems
Top Rated Problems
This month's top
Most Commented On

Chatterbox:
Copyright © 2002 - 2024 by Animus Pactum Consulting. All rights reserved. Privacy Information