Russian mathematics (was: Re: Aggressive Driving)

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Article #1347

#1347

From: John Miles
Date: Sat, 04 Jul 1998 00:00

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DPH wrote:
> 
> E. Faubion wrote:
> 
> > Russian Roulette can be played safely.
> 
> You have a very high threshold for safe.  The first time you pull the trigger, you have a
> 1 in 6 chance of dying.  The second time you have 1 - (5/6) squared chance.  The next time
> is 1 - (5/6) cubed.  etc.  That's if the cylinder is spun each time.  Those are way too
> poor odds for me to consider something safe.
> 

OK, I'll bite.  How in the world are you arriving at that figure?

In Russian roulette, the odds of dying (or blowing a hole in your head,
which is not necessarily the same thing) are exactly 1 in 6 each time
you pull the trigger.  The number of times you've pulled the trigger on
an empty cylinder has absolutely no influence on the odds in any
subsequent trial.

-- jm

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From: John Miles <jmiles@pop.removethistomailme.net>
Subject: Russian mathematics (was: Re: Aggressive Driving)
Date: 1998/07/04
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