The Prisoner’s Paradox

Abstract: On the television show, Let’s Make A Deal, the announcer, Monty Hall, asks a contestant to pick one of three curtains/screens. A new car is hidden behind one the curtains. Monty Hall opens one of the two remaining curtains, showing it does not have the car. He asks the contestant if he/she wishes to change his/her initial selection to the other curtain. We will see if the contestant increases his/her odds by doing so. This game (Shell Game), the Prisoner’s Paradox, and other paradoxes of conditional probability will be explored.
Gail Nord, Gonzaga University
Title: The Prisoner’s Paradox