Let's see what happens

From: K. Jones (shadetree1999_at_hotmailNODAMNSPAM.com)
Date: 07/28/04 

Date: Tue, 27 Jul 2004 20:24:44 -0400

Ok, two engineers at work are having a, ummm, "difference of opinion" on how
to solve a useless problem.

I quote :"If you were to flip a coin - just a regular coin toss - there are
three possible outcomes.
  1.. Heads
  2.. Tails
  3.. Or it lands and remains on its edge."
Which has led to another "discussion" as to which newsgroup would be the
most appropriate forum for this question.

One suggests sci.physics because of momentum etc., the other says
probability, as you can neglect it landing and remaining on edge, because
the possibility of it doing so is infinitesimally small.

Any suggestions I can relay to these two mental midgets?

Thanks,

K. Jones

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Martial law comes to New Orleans.
    ... Two flips, four possible combinations ... 50% of the outcomes are 1 head, ... 37.5% of the outcomes are 2 heads, 2 tails. ...
    (rec.martial-arts)
  • Re: statistics [was something else]
    ... So would tails, using a different logic. ... Your problem is that you think choosing heads is also ... predicting future outcomes. ... It's not a fair toss, and is under the control of the tosser or ...
    (rec.arts.sf.written)
  • Re: Lets see what happens
    ... > three possible outcomes. ... Heads ... Tails ... Or it lands and remains on its edge." ...
    (sci.physics)
  • Re: Lets see what happens
    ... >three possible outcomes. ... Heads ... Tails ... Or it lands and remains on its edge." ...
    (sci.physics)
  • Re: entropy and bio-evo
    ... penny will be removed before the next penny is spun, ... used three different "operations" to measure a heads or tails uncertainty ... estimations by evolutionary biologists and others of cause and effect are ...
    (sci.bio.evolution)