The Monty Hall Puzzle

Credit: Rebrn.com

Marilyn vos Savant is the name of the lady who holds the world record for the highest IQ. She hosted a column in the Parade magazine called "Ask Marilyn." From one of the readers, she received a letter asking for a solution to the following problem:

There are three doors, two of which have goats behind them while one of them have an expensive car. The gambler chooses a door and the host, who knows what is behind each door, shows that behind one of the other two doors is a goat and offers the gambler, or the player, to switch. Should the player make the switch?

This famous probability puzzle is known as the Monty Hall Problem, named after the original host of the American show, "Let's Make A Deal."

Marilyn answered that the player should switch and after the publication, she received dozens of letters stating that the idea was counterintuitive. Was the lady with the highest IQ wrong?

No, she wasn't. There are three doors and one among them covers the car. There is 1/3 chance of the player making the correct decision. But once the host has revealed what's behind the other door, there's 2/3 chance of making the right choice which is better. This fact is more clear from the picture above.