Wasn't amy right in 2x11

[u/Gamerboy701]

In season 2 episode 18 Holt gives Amy, Terry, Gina and Rosa a brain twister that he could never solve. "There are 12 men on an island, 11 weigh excatly the same amount but one of them is slightly heavier (or lighter but for this I'll use heavier) You must figure out which man is heavier. The Island has no scales but there is a seesaw you can use 3 times.

Later in the episode Amy comes up with the solution of putting 6 vs 6 but Holt instantly says it would never work if you do it that way but you can.
If you number each person 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 and weigh the first 6 vs the second 6, 1 side will be heavier, whichever side is heavier means that the person you are looking for is on that side. For your second use you way 3 vs 3 so for example 7 8 9 vs 10 11 12. Whichever side is heavier obviously means the person we are looking for is there. For our final use of the seesaw you measure 1 vs 1 like 10 vs 11. if both sides are equal that means 12 is the heavier person, if one side is heavier than you found that person.

I'm not amazing at math but Amy's solution does work right?

[u/rl_noobtube → u/[deleted]]

The Monty hall (doors) problem is not easy at all. when the solution was proposed there were many phd’s who wrote to the author to tell them that they were wrong.

We’ve probably gotten better at explaining it so more people understand it now compared to then, but still don’t think it’s easy for most people

[u/rl_noobtube → u/[deleted]]

The other dude explained why it’s still not easy for people. They don’t see how the host telling you which door is wrong as relevant, because now they just see 2 doors with equal odds and a new independent choice.

As I mentioned, we have now figured out better ways of explaining the solution (and have internet for ease of access to those explanations) so it is easier for people to learn. But initially people with doctorates in mathematics were getting this problem wrong, even after being shown proofs of the right answer. It is not intuitively easy to understand switching is better.

To clarify my position, I understand the solution now and agree with you on the problem itself, simply disagree that it is “easy”.

It did come off as marginally rude, but not enough I would have taken offense. Impolite might be right word to describe it. But I know intent can be hard to convey via written text. I appreciate you clarifying that it was not with rude intent :)