Elementary Statistics, Sixth Edition (Bluman)

Chapter 14: Sampling and Simulation

The Monty Hall Problem

On the game show Let's Make A Deal, host Monty Hall gave a contestant a choice of three doors. A valuable prize was behind one door, and nothing was behind the other two doors. When the contestant selected one door, host Monty Hall opened one of the other doors that the contestant didn't select and that had no prize behind it. (Monty Hall knew in advance which door had the prize.) Then he asked the contestant if he or she wanted to change doors or keep the one that the contestant originally selected. Now the question is, Should the contestant switch doors, or does it really matter? This chapter will show you how you can solve this problem by simulation. For the answer, see Statistics Today—Revisited.