Chapter 11, Problem 29E

Solution

To explain: Whether the given method to pick a student name to deliver the morning announcement at school is a fair decision.

The method to pick a student name to deliver the morning announcement at school is an unfair decision

Given:There are four students eligible to deliver morning announcements. The principal writes the names of each student on four equal sections of a paper and then tosses a coin onto the paper. The name closest to the coin will deliver the morning announcement.

Concept used:

The decision is considered to be fair if each student has an equal chance to deliver the morning announcements.

Interpretation:

The names of four students are written on equal sections of a paper. As the coin is tossed by the principal there exists a bias in the output as the principal can toss the coin voluntarily near a particular student’s name and there does not exist an equal chance for each student to deliver the morning announcements. Thus the decision is considered as unfair decision.