un-answerable questions

Plod

Why is a set square triangular?

What if there were no hypothetical questions?

deptfordmarmoset

Plod wrote:

Why is a set square triangular?

What if there were no hypothetical questions?

You know those triangles in the orchestra, why do they only have two angles and a gap?

domhnall_dearg

chipandpin wrote:

4kicks wrote:

Domhnall Dearg wrote:

chipandpin wrote:

flatneasy wrote:

1. A coin has an equal chance of heads or tails.

2. Also if you throw a coin, the number of heads and tails will average out evenly over time.

So if you throw an unusually large number of heads, surely the tails have to catch up, to make (2) work.

But if they did that, then they wouldn't be obeying rule (1)

The coin doesn't have any memory of the previous result so I don't think it would actually even out over time.

In fact, the more times you throw a coin the less chance there is of the number of heads and tails being equal.

Go on, explain that one to me. Ive done (and passed!) three statistics classes at Maths A level, University and an MBA and I cant figure why that one should be true...

this is a good one! I could be wrong and have no formal statistics training, so probably am wrong, but..... if you toss a coin once, the chance of getting heads is 1 in 2. flip it a again and the chance if getting tails is 1 in 2. BUT if you said you wanted to flip and heads AND a tails in two flips, the chance is 1in 4. the odds get longer the more flips you do.

A mathematical proof is beyond me, not having done any statistics in 20 years or so, but put simply the number of combinations resulting in an equal number of heads and tails (given by the formula (n!/r!(n-r)! where n is the number of tosses and r is the required number of heads (or tails) ie n/2) does not increase as fast as the total possible number of outcomes (2 to the power n).
What I can do as an illustration is give the probability of an equal number of heads and tails for the first few numbers of tosses:

For 2 tosses P = 0.5
For 4 tosses P = 0.375
For 6 tosses P = 0.3125
For 8 tosses P = 0.273

This probably doesn't help much and may well be total horse poop.

Aggieboy

Why does an omelette taste different to scrambled eggs when made with exactly the same ingredients?

brin

Where do all the stars go during the day?

DIESELDOG

Aggieboy wrote:

Why does an omelette taste different to scrambled eggs when made with exactly the same ingredients?

30 seconds difference...

Love n hugs

DD

Aggieboy

DIESELDOG wrote:

Aggieboy wrote:

Why does an omelette taste different to scrambled eggs when made with exactly the same ingredients?

30 seconds difference...

Love n hugs

DD

I'm talking omelettes, not those men in your life.

DIESELDOG

Aggieboy wrote:

DIESELDOG wrote:

Aggieboy wrote:

Why does an omelette taste different to scrambled eggs when made with exactly the same ingredients?

30 seconds difference...

Love n hugs

DD

I'm talking omelettes, not those men in your life.

Yeah, yeah, not going to respond

Oh wait, hang on a minute

damn it...

Love n hugs

DD

nicklouse

CAPS LOCK

Why?

DIESELDOG

nicklouse wrote:

CAPS LOCK

Why?

'COS YOU CAN SHOUT...

Love n hugs

DD

mingmong

Who would win in a fight between the woodchucker and gumboiler :?:

chocothon

Is leaving the central heating on all day on low, more economical than having it on from cold once in the morning and once again in the evening when you get home from work ?

disquieting_museeuws

Domhnall Dearg wrote:

A mathematical proof is beyond me, not having done any statistics in 20 years or so, but put simply the number of combinations resulting in an equal number of heads and tails (given by the formula (n!/r!(n-r)! where n is the number of tosses and r is the required number of heads (or tails) ie n/2) does not increase as fast as the total possible number of outcomes (2 to the power n).
What I can do as an illustration is give the probability of an equal number of heads and tails for the first few numbers of tosses:

For 2 tosses P = 0.5
For 4 tosses P = 0.375
For 6 tosses P = 0.3125
For 8 tosses P = 0.273

This probably doesn't help much and may well be total horse poop.

See Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead for metaphysical discussion. The original includes the great line '78 heads in a row! What are the chances?' '50-50'.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NbInZ5oJ ... re=related

dvdfoz

If a popular manufacturer of personal computers to diversify into sex toys, would they brand it "The Delldo"

dvdfoz

disquieting_museeuws wrote:

Domhnall Dearg wrote:

A mathematical proof is beyond me, not having done any statistics in 20 years or so, but put simply the number of combinations resulting in an equal number of heads and tails (given by the formula (n!/r!(n-r)! where n is the number of tosses and r is the required number of heads (or tails) ie n/2) does not increase as fast as the total possible number of outcomes (2 to the power n).
What I can do as an illustration is give the probability of an equal number of heads and tails for the first few numbers of tosses:

For 2 tosses P = 0.5
For 4 tosses P = 0.375
For 6 tosses P = 0.3125
For 8 tosses P = 0.273

This probably doesn't help much and may well be total horse poop.

See Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead for metaphysical discussion. The original includes the great line '78 heads in a row! What are the chances?' '50-50'.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NbInZ5oJ ... re=related

Probability exactly 50-50 is binomial distn, and for n heads from 2n tosses,
Pn = ( 2n )! / (n!)^2 x (1/2)^(2n)

So ratio for P(n+1)/P(n) = (n+1/2)/(n+1)

Since this is always less than one for all n in natural numbers, the probability is monotonically decreasing.


But since this is stats, we'd put a confidence interval around it, and then we get the opposite result.

Gizmokev

Why did Jill go tumbling after Jack?

mingmong

Why do I need more than 6 bikes in the garage :?:

Aggieboy

MingMong wrote:

Why do I need more than 6 bikes in the garage :?:

Why have you put "more than 6" rather than a specific number?

richk

northernneil wrote:

who would buy this ?

http://www.carbolicsmokeball.com/catalog/552/Margaret_Thatcher_character_figurine/

I'm amazed - the carbolic smoke ball company still exist Was the only bit I ever remember from the Law course I had to do back when I worked in insurance (Carlill v Carbolic Smoke Ball Company).

Sharkyssurfers

would a one legged duck swim in circles ? :?

SmellTheGlove

What's the big idea?

amun1000

Why does
Wind always blow from....

and

Water flow to

slunker

where did you lose it?

Stewie Griffin

RichK wrote:

northernneil wrote:

who would buy this ?

http://www.carbolicsmokeball.com/catalog/552/Margaret_Thatcher_character_figurine/

I'm amazed - the carbolic smoke ball company still exist Was the only bit I ever remember from the Law course I had to do back when I worked in insurance (Carlill v Carbolic Smoke Ball Company).

I did O level Law. Why didnt Stevenson filter the ginger beer?

Sidi

Why is hoovering a house hold chore but cutting the grass a hobby?

JD_76

Ollieda wrote:

MattC59 wrote:

brin wrote:

Why is 'Mr Universe' always won by a human?

Why a boxing 'Ring'?

Why does the 'World' series in Baseball only contain American teams?

1) Don't know
2) Don't know
3) Because it was originally sponsored by a newspaper called 'The World'

Wow, as far as not reading above posts goes that was really bad!

The reason it's called the world series is because it was the World Championship Series and was intended that all baseball playing nations would enter their champion teams to take part. When it was created the only major baseball nation was the USA and due to their two league set up they effectively had two USA Champions so they began the World Championship Series as a game between them. There was (apparently) full intention to allow other nations to join the world series at a later date when a nation was of a good enough standard but AFAIK no-one has ever asked to join and now with over 100 years of only USA teams playing it is held in the public view as simply a USA only event.

We call it rounders over here.

MattC59

Why have I got two smoke grenades in my desk drawer ?

MattC59

Domhnall Dearg wrote:

chipandpin wrote:

4kicks wrote:

Domhnall Dearg wrote:

chipandpin wrote:

flatneasy wrote:

1. A coin has an equal chance of heads or tails.

2. Also if you throw a coin, the number of heads and tails will average out evenly over time.

So if you throw an unusually large number of heads, surely the tails have to catch up, to make (2) work.

But if they did that, then they wouldn't be obeying rule (1)

The coin doesn't have any memory of the previous result so I don't think it would actually even out over time.

In fact, the more times you throw a coin the less chance there is of the number of heads and tails being equal.

Go on, explain that one to me. Ive done (and passed!) three statistics classes at Maths A level, University and an MBA and I cant figure why that one should be true...

this is a good one! I could be wrong and have no formal statistics training, so probably am wrong, but..... if you toss a coin once, the chance of getting heads is 1 in 2. flip it a again and the chance if getting tails is 1 in 2. BUT if you said you wanted to flip and heads AND a tails in two flips, the chance is 1in 4. the odds get longer the more flips you do.

A mathematical proof is beyond me, not having done any statistics in 20 years or so, but put simply the number of combinations resulting in an equal number of heads and tails (given by the formula (n!/r!(n-r)! where n is the number of tosses and r is the required number of heads (or tails) ie n/2) does not increase as fast as the total possible number of outcomes (2 to the power n).
What I can do as an illustration is give the probability of an equal number of heads and tails for the first few numbers of tosses:

For 2 tosses P = 0.5
For 4 tosses P = 0.375
For 6 tosses P = 0.3125
For 8 tosses P = 0.273

This probably doesn't help much and may well be total horse poop.

The chances are still 50/50 (or as near as damn it) as each toss of the coin is an independent event.

jc4lab

Why do men have nipples?.

Jez mon

Domhnall Dearg wrote:

chipandpin wrote:

4kicks wrote:

Domhnall Dearg wrote:

chipandpin wrote:

flatneasy wrote:

1. A coin has an equal chance of heads or tails.

2. Also if you throw a coin, the number of heads and tails will average out evenly over time.

So if you throw an unusually large number of heads, surely the tails have to catch up, to make (2) work.

But if they did that, then they wouldn't be obeying rule (1)

The coin doesn't have any memory of the previous result so I don't think it would actually even out over time.

In fact, the more times you throw a coin the less chance there is of the number of heads and tails being equal.

Go on, explain that one to me. Ive done (and passed!) three statistics classes at Maths A level, University and an MBA and I cant figure why that one should be true...

this is a good one! I could be wrong and have no formal statistics training, so probably am wrong, but..... if you toss a coin once, the chance of getting heads is 1 in 2. flip it a again and the chance if getting tails is 1 in 2. BUT if you said you wanted to flip and heads AND a tails in two flips, the chance is 1in 4. the odds get longer the more flips you do.

A mathematical proof is beyond me, not having done any statistics in 20 years or so, but put simply the number of combinations resulting in an equal number of heads and tails (given by the formula (n!/r!(n-r)! where n is the number of tosses and r is the required number of heads (or tails) ie n/2) does not increase as fast as the total possible number of outcomes (2 to the power n).
What I can do as an illustration is give the probability of an equal number of heads and tails for the first few numbers of tosses:

For 2 tosses P = 0.5
For 4 tosses P = 0.375
For 6 tosses P = 0.3125
For 8 tosses P = 0.273

This probably doesn't help much and may well be total horse poop.

The chance of the number of coin tosses actually being exactly equal is small.

But in answer to the apparent disobeying of rule one...

Say you were throwing a coin 100 times.

Of the first 10 throws, you get 9 heads.

So 90% so far to heads

Then, the next ninety throws fall perfectly even 50:50

So final scores on the doors, 54:46

So tails hasn't suddenly worked harder to catch up, but nevertheless has.