The “Monty Hall” problem was made famous when it appeared in Parade magazine’s “Ask Marilyn” column in 1990, and it was so counterintuitive it had everyone from high school students to top mathematical minds questioning the answer—but rest assured, the solution is accurate. Named for the Let’s Make a Deal game show host, the puzzle goes like this: You are given three doors to choose from, one of which contains a car and the other two contain goats. After you’ve chosen one but haven’t opened it, Monty, who knows where everything is, reveals the location of a goat from behind one of the other two doors. Should you stick with your original choice or switch, if you want the car?
Answer
You should switch. At the beginning, your choice starts out as a one in three chance of picking the car; the two doors with goats contain 2/3 of the chance. But since Monty knows and shows you where one of the goats is, that 2/3 chance now rests solely with the third door (your choice retains its original 1/3 chance; you were more likely to pick a goat to begin with). So, the odds are better if you switch.