robert A
Jul 30, 2007, 05:25 PM
Hi all!
In my class we have a system of "lots" that the teacher uses to choose a student to do any number of things. Its works like this. Those interested join a circle and each extend one or 2 fingers. The teacher announces a number, usually between 5 and ten times the amount of students present in the circle, and begins to count the fingers round and around, until the final number is the winner.
say for example seven students joined in, each would put out one or two fingers, the number could be 59, and the count would begin around in a circle, starting from a random student. One number on each finger, so if a person put out 2 fingers they would be counted twice.
There has for a long time been speculation that those a enter with 2 fingers have a better chance of winning, they are simply doubling the number of tickets they have in the raffle!
Is our hunch verifiable?
Of course there are many variables, such as how many participate, what number is chosen, and where the count begins, but I'm guessing there would be some general rules as to whether one or 2 fingers would give an edge.
I had thought about making a spreddsheet where I could enter the number to find the best probability, but that's for another days (when I learn to make a spreadsheet! :) )
Thanks for any ideas!
In my class we have a system of "lots" that the teacher uses to choose a student to do any number of things. Its works like this. Those interested join a circle and each extend one or 2 fingers. The teacher announces a number, usually between 5 and ten times the amount of students present in the circle, and begins to count the fingers round and around, until the final number is the winner.
say for example seven students joined in, each would put out one or two fingers, the number could be 59, and the count would begin around in a circle, starting from a random student. One number on each finger, so if a person put out 2 fingers they would be counted twice.
There has for a long time been speculation that those a enter with 2 fingers have a better chance of winning, they are simply doubling the number of tickets they have in the raffle!
Is our hunch verifiable?
Of course there are many variables, such as how many participate, what number is chosen, and where the count begins, but I'm guessing there would be some general rules as to whether one or 2 fingers would give an edge.
I had thought about making a spreddsheet where I could enter the number to find the best probability, but that's for another days (when I learn to make a spreadsheet! :) )
Thanks for any ideas!