More on secretary/marriage/sultan's dowry problem? It is so cool

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In summary, the secretary/marriage/sultan's dowry problem is a well-known mathematical puzzle that involves finding the best strategy for selecting the optimal candidate from a pool of applicants. It is considered cool due to its real-life applications and challenging problem-solving techniques. The problem was first introduced in the 1960s and has since been studied extensively, leading to various extensions and variations. While there is a solution to this problem, the optimal strategy depends on the number of applicants and the probability of selecting the best candidate. Some real-life applications of this problem include hiring, dating, and decision-making scenarios.
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tsuwal
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I've just learned to solve this problem and had such a good time! This is the very well-problem that says that if you want to hire the best secretary for a job you should take a sample of about n/e secreatries and them choose the best that appears to you starting from your sample:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secretary_problem

What is the field of math that studies this kind of problems? Is it Stochastic processes? Where can I learn more?
 
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  • #2
It looks like probability. What is n?
 
  • #3
the number of people that applied to the job.
 

Related to More on secretary/marriage/sultan's dowry problem? It is so cool

1. What is the "secretary/marriage/sultan's dowry problem"?

The secretary/marriage/sultan's dowry problem is a famous mathematical puzzle that involves finding the optimal strategy for selecting the best candidate from a pool of applicants, where the order of the applicants is unknown and each applicant must be either accepted or rejected immediately.

2. Why is this problem considered cool?

This problem is considered cool because it has real-life applications in fields such as computer science, economics, and decision-making. It also involves clever and creative problem-solving techniques, making it a fun challenge for mathematicians and scientists.

3. What is the history behind this problem?

The problem was first introduced in the 1960s by American mathematician and economist Martin Gardner. It was later popularized by American computer scientist Donald Knuth in the 1970s, who coined it as the "secretary problem". The problem has since been studied extensively and has led to various extensions and variations.

4. Is there a solution to this problem?

Yes, there is a solution to this problem. However, the optimal strategy depends on the number of applicants and the probability of selecting the best candidate. In some cases, the optimal strategy involves rejecting a certain number of initial applicants and then selecting the first applicant that is better than the previously rejected ones.

5. What are some real-life applications of this problem?

This problem has applications in various fields, including hiring and human resource management, dating and marriage, and even animal behavior. It can also be applied in decision-making scenarios such as selecting the best option from a series of choices based on unknown future options.

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