December 2nd, 2008, 7:50 pm
QuoteOriginally posted by: rmexicoIs it 1? Here's my (probably flawed) reasoning. I wouldn't pick a number higher than 72, because 5/4*72=90, which is the highest possible average. Assuming nobody else picks a number higher than 72, I wouldn't pick a number higher than 57.6, because 5/4*57.6=72. Keep this up, and you get to 1.How does your 'reasoning' relate to your decision?Just because what follows your word "because" is true, it does not necessarily follow that your decision is valid. You wrote:"I wouldn't pick a number higher than 72, because 5/4*72=90,..."Yes, it is true that 5/4*72=90. How does that true equality relate to the issue at hand? You need to show connections, close relationships, reasoning, etc. and conclusion. What if I said the Pythagorean Theorem (call this "X") is true because 2+5=7 (call this "Y"). I need to show a connection between X and Y. Without a connection I have proved nothing.What if for some weird reason everyone picked 90? Wouldn't then everyone be the closest to the (5/4) of the average? In which case everyone would win.The challenge here is whether or not there is one number that all will necessarily choose to guarantee a win. Is there? Lacking this, is there a number that all will necessarily choose because that number provides the highest probability of win. Is there?