Monty Hall Dilemma

The Monty Hall Dilemma was discussed in the popular "Ask Marylin" question-and-answer column of the Parade magazine. Details can also be found in the "Power of Logical Thinking" by Marylin vos Savant, St. Martin's Press, 1996.

Marylin received the following question:

Suppose you're on a game show, and you're given the choice of three doors. Behind one door is a car, behind the others, goats. You pick a door, say number 1, and the host, who knows what's behind the doors, opens another door, say number 3, which has a goat. He says to you, "Do you want to pick door number 2?" Is it to your advantage to switch your choice of doors?

Craig. F. Whitaker
Columbia, MD

Marylin's response caused an avalanche of correspondence, mostly from people who would not accept her solution. Several iterations of correspondence ensued. Eventually, she issued a call to Math teachers among her readers to organize experiments and send her the charts. Some readers with access to computers ran computer simulations. At long last, the truth was established and accepted.

Below is one simulation you may try on your computer. For simplicity, I do not hide goats behind the doors. There is only one 'abstract' prize. You may either hit on the right door or miss it. You make your selection by pressing small round buttons below input controls that substitute for the doors. Down below other controls update experiment statistics even as you progress.

Approximately every second the program clears 'door' controls and is waiting for your selection. Before you start, set up a desired total number of experiments. With every selection it will decrease by 1.

Important note:

You run a simulation. During a simulation you are allowed to make as many selections as indicated in the "To Go" control before your first selection. Remember also that after each selection the device needs approximately 1 second to clear up controls. Please wait till it does. To start a new simulation please press the "Reset" button.

Doors				When you select a door and miss the prize the word 'selected' appears in the control. The one open by the host will display the word 'open'. If you guess correctly the word 'prize' will be displayed in the corresponding control.
				Use these radio buttons to make your selection.