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Bertrand’s paradox

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  22 September 2016

P. E. Tissier*
Affiliation:
Brighton College, Eastern Road, Brighton

Extract

An interesting and important problem in probability theory is known as ‘Bertrand’s paradox’. Consider a chord chosen ‘at random’ inside a circle: what is the probability that the length of the chord exceeds the length of side of the inscribed equilateral triangle? Three different answers have been given to this problem p = ½, ⅓ or ¼.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Mathematical Association 1984

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