| Author | Message | ||
| Rbruma (Rbruma)
New member Username: Rbruma Post Number: 1142 Registered: 9-2009 |
Two bombs can hardly blow up a plane | ||
| Balin (Balin)
New member Username: Balin Post Number: 9819 Registered: 4-2010 |
Plane - airplane? Plane tree? Bombs - explosive devices? Epic failures? | ||
| Rbruma (Rbruma)
New member Username: Rbruma Post Number: 1144 Registered: 9-2009 |
Plane - airplane? This one Plane tree? Bombs - explosive devices? Yes Epic failures? So, no to these | ||
| Balin (Balin)
New member Username: Balin Post Number: 9831 Registered: 4-2010 |
Bombs - smoke bombs? Paint bombs? Homemade bombs? Airplane - a model airplane? A "fly-the-friendly-skies" airplane? A military plane? A jumbo jet? A cargo plane? A mail plane? | ||
| Doriana (Doriana)
New member Username: Doriana Post Number: 77 Registered: 12-2010 |
Is the story about a mathematician who tells a politician to take a bomb on board relevant? | ||
| Rbruma (Rbruma)
New member Username: Rbruma Post Number: 1145 Registered: 9-2009 |
Bombs - smoke bombs? Paint bombs? Homemade bombs? Airplane - a model airplane? A "fly-the-friendly-skies" airplane? A military plane? A jumbo jet? A cargo plane? A mail plane? A regular, passenger plane Is the story about a mathematician who tells a politician to take a bomb on board relevant? I've never heard that story before, but this is a warning to double check before posting, as it seems you have the answer :-) Care to $poil? | ||
| Doriana (Doriana)
New member Username: Doriana Post Number: 79 Registered: 12-2010 |
I could e-mail you my solution so that you can check if it's the correct one... | ||
| Balin (Balin)
New member Username: Balin Post Number: 9835 Registered: 4-2010 |
Because the odds are very low that one person will bring a bomb on board a plane? And are much lower that two people will? So the mathematician tells the politician to take a bomb on board, figuring that the odds of another person with a bomb will be MUCH lower? | ||
| Rbruma (Rbruma)
New member Username: Rbruma Post Number: 1147 Registered: 9-2009 |
I could e-mail you my solution so that you can check if it's the correct one... I'm sure it is, see below Because the odds are very low that one person will bring a bomb on board a plane? And are much lower that two people will? So the mathematician tells the politician to take a bomb on board, figuring that the odds of another person with a bomb will be MUCH lower? That's pretty much it ******* SPOILER ******* The story (as I know it, but it seems in one form or another is common knowledge) is that a mathematician had a fear of flying, because he calculated that chances for a bomb to be aboard are not so small. However, one day he comes out of the airport in a joyfull manner and at the request of someone from the audience, he explains: I just calculated that the chances for TWO bombs to be in the same aircraft are nearly zero and -- indicating his luggage -- I have one here I inadvertently stumbled upon a classic one -- my apologizes and thanks to Doriana and Balin to quickly put it out of its misery. | ||
| Balin (Balin)
New member Username: Balin Post Number: 9838 Registered: 4-2010 |
Don't apologize - this was a good one! Doriana's question just put me on track - I hadn't heard this story since statistics class two years ago, and it popped into mind. | ||
| Doriana (Doriana)
New member Username: Doriana Post Number: 82 Registered: 12-2010 |
I think I'm the one who should apologize. I thought the story itself was quite well-known and that you had maybe changed something about it to make it a bitmore difficult to find out. Nice puzzle nevertheless (: |
