Strategy Question (the dating problem)

paulish · #1 08-17-2005, 10:17 PM

The Dating problem

Assumptions: [*] You are straight.[*] You have never seen a girl before.[*] You have the option of dating 100 girls.[*] Your goal is to marry THE BEST. You don’t care for second best. And you see no value in sleeping with a lot of women.[*] You can only date one girl at a time, and when you move on, you can never go back.

<font color="red"> Q </font> What strategy optimizes your chances of ending up with THE BEST girl? And what would you say you’re chances are of finding this #1girl in the sample?

I know, some of those these assumptions about YOU, are probably quite unrealistic. And I know there are a lot of wise a** answers here. But there is a mathematical answer as well.

What would you do?

Matt Williams · #2 08-17-2005, 10:19 PM

I'd whip it out and whichever girl came up to me and let me SIIHP would win. Simple.

fnord_too · #3 08-17-2005, 10:21 PM

Date the first 1/e, then take the first girl better than the best in that bunch. (This should be in the probability forum.)

OtisTheMarsupial · #4 08-17-2005, 11:08 PM

No, there is not a mathematical answer. It's not a mathematical question.

Jimbo · #5 08-17-2005, 11:13 PM

[ QUOTE ]
What strategy optimizes your chances of ending up with THE BEST girl? And what would you say you’re chances are of finding this #1girl in the sample?

[/ QUOTE ]

Pick one girl at random and marry her. Having no other reference before you will have chosen the best girl.

touchfaith · #6 08-17-2005, 11:17 PM

[ QUOTE ]
No, there is not a mathematical answer. It's not a mathematical question.

[/ QUOTE ]

manpower · #7 08-18-2005, 01:52 AM

[ QUOTE ]
No, there is not a mathematical answer. It's not a mathematical question.

[/ QUOTE ]
If you assume our hero would be able to appropriately determine the 'best' girl, were he free from the constraints posed in the question, it quickly becomes a mathematical problem.

pryor15 · #8 08-18-2005, 02:08 AM

The answer is clearly to use the Elimidate method and go from there.

cdxx · #9 08-18-2005, 02:23 AM

[ QUOTE ]
[*] You are straight.[*] And you see no value in sleeping with a lot of women.

[/ QUOTE ]

contradictions in your assumptions. vacuously true.

MrMon · #10 08-18-2005, 01:21 PM

You are making the assumption that guys get to choose. They don't. The women make the choice. Therefore, the first one who accepts you that you find acceptable, you choose. And note that as you move through the 100, what you consider acceptable is likely to change. I believe this is game theory.

Moving through the whole 100 and not finding an acceptable choice will result in extreme bitterness and disappointment. Maintaining low standards will result in losing your bankroll to lawyers.

Choose wisely.