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I have a generally-applicable approach, i.e., a coin with any number of sides and any probabilities. Here we go, in the spirit of brute force: 0. Train your wr
by hackernewsb 5y ago
I have a generally-applicable approach, i.e., a coin with any number of sides and any probabilities. Here we go, in the spirit of brute force:
0. Train your wrist, 'cause you'll be flipping this a gazillion times (say just N times)
1. Enumerate all possibilities, i.e., sample space = {H, T}^N
2. Compute the probabilities of each.
3. Partition the sample space into two such that the total probability (sum of probabilities) is equal to 0.5.
4. Call one element of the partition heads and the other tails.
5. Want a "multi-sided-coin"? Go back to step 3 and create a finer partition.
- eru 5y agoHow do you partition the sample space in step 3 without knowing the bias of the coin? If you squint right, I described a method in https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=30696269 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=30696269 for how to do just that. But I wonder whether you have a different method in mind?