When the game show “Deal or No Deal” became popular, I read a few comments about the show saying that it was teaching the American public basic statistics. I chuckled at that since it was quite true. For those of you who haven’t seen the show, the basic premise is that the contestant chooses a briefcase that holds a hidden amount of money. As the show progresses, the contestant eliminates other cases and those cases reveal the amount of money in them. After each batch of elimination, the contestant is offered a sum of money based on the amounts that have not been revealed. The contestant then decides if they’ll take the money and run or keep playing. So at different junctures in the show, typically during a commercial break, the contestant must make a decision. Read more »

Posted: July 23rd, 2008 under Decisions.
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