Author Topic: Showcase Showdown Question (Read 4161 times)

dale_grass · « **on:** March 13, 2007, 11:38:39 AM »

Two scenarios I was pondering about contestants A, B, and C during the Showcase Showdown.

(1) Let's say A gets 20. B spins and gets 25, beating A. Since C would have a 75% chance of beating B in one spin, can/does B spin again to improve her score? (In other words, is there a rule in place regarding the spins you take after you beat someone?)

(2) Let's say A gets 15. B gets 20 in 2 spins. On C's first spin, she gets 25. Is she allowed to try for the dollar?

(We're assuming A, B, and C are greedy capitalists who want to milk the show for all its worth.)

Matt Ottinger · « **Reply #1 on:** March 13, 2007, 12:01:48 PM »

Wow, TPIR questions so easy even I can answer them.

[quote name=\'dale_grass\' post=\'147955\' date=\'Mar 13 2007, 10:38 AM\']
(1) Let's say A gets 20. B spins and gets 25, beating A. Since C would have a 75% chance of beating B in one spin, can/does B spin again to improve her score? (In other words, is there a rule in place regarding the spins you take after you beat someone?)[/quote]
Not only allowed, but likely. B risks going over and being eliminated, but as you say, the quarter is probably not going to hold up. You're not forced to stop just because you beat the other score.

[quote name=\'dale_grass\' post=\'147955\' date=\'Mar 13 2007, 10:38 AM\']
(2) Let's say A gets 15. B gets 20 in 2 spins. On C's first spin, she gets 25. Is she allowed to try for the dollar?
[/quote]
Technically allowed yes, but I don't think it's ever been done (and if it has, somebody will tell me). Bob usually hurries them along with a quick "You don't want to spin again, do you?"

The exception is if both A and B have gone over. The rule in that case is that C gets one and only one spin to try to hit one dollar.

dale_grass · « **Reply #2 on:** March 13, 2007, 04:34:52 PM »

[quote name=\'Matt Ottinger\' post=\'147960\' date=\'Mar 13 2007, 11:01 AM\']
The rule in that case is that C gets one and only one spin to try to hit one dollar.
[/quote]
Yeah, I knew about the single spin if A and B go over, which makes sense. I'm assuming if C from (2) went over on her second spin, B would be in the showcase, no? (Sorry about the simplicity, Matt. Idol minds are the devil's workshop, and I hate hearing him fire up his bandsaw.)

Matt Ottinger · « **Reply #3 on:** March 13, 2007, 06:34:07 PM »

[quote name=\'dale_grass\' post=\'148004\' date=\'Mar 13 2007, 04:34 PM\'] I'm assuming if C from (2) went over on her second spin, B would be in the showcase, no? [/quote]
Sorry to call you out on simplicity again, but does any other possible outcome make sense? Yes, B would be the player that came closest to a dollar without going over, so B would be in the Showcase.

And again, in the 30 or so years of the Big Wheel, I've never seen it happen.

More than ever:

dale_grass · « **Reply #4 on:** March 14, 2007, 12:17:14 AM »

OK, Matt. Sorry once again for the easy posts. Here's your next assignment:

Prove that every contractive sequence is a Cauchy sequence, and thus convergent.

Have it to me no later than 4 PM Friday.

beatlefreak84 · « **Reply #5 on:** March 14, 2007, 12:25:33 AM »

Quote

OK, Matt. Sorry once again for the easy posts. Here's your next assignment:

Prove that every contractive sequence is a Cauchy sequence, and thus convergent.

Have it to me no later than 4 PM Friday.

Is it sad that I actually thought about how to do this? Even on spring break, I can't turn the math off...

.

Anyway, to steer this back to the topic at hand, this season, I've noticed that Bob has not been giving the last contestants a chance to think about the second spin if they've already won with the first spin; he immediately declares the contestant the winner and ushers him/her away from the wheel.

So, my question is: did they change the rules for this situation? Or, is Bob just conveniently skipping over it (like in that Card Game example a few weeks ago) to move the show along?

Anthony

Dbacksfan12 · « **Reply #6 on:** March 14, 2007, 12:41:50 AM »

[quote name=\'dale_grass\' post=\'148074\' date=\'Mar 13 2007, 11:17 PM\']
OK, Matt. Sorry once again for the easy posts. Here's your next assignment:

Prove that every contractive sequence is a Cauchy sequence, and thus convergent.

Have it to me no later than 4 PM Friday.
[/quote]
'Ya know, being rude to a moderator who took the time to answer your questions (which, indeed, were very simplistic) probably isn't a very good idea.

BrandonFG · « **Reply #7 on:** March 14, 2007, 12:43:40 AM »

[quote name=\'Modor\' post=\'148077\' date=\'Mar 14 2007, 12:41 AM\']
[quote name=\'dale_grass\' post=\'148074\' date=\'Mar 13 2007, 11:17 PM\']
OK, Matt. Sorry once again for the easy posts. Here's your next assignment:

Prove that every contractive sequence is a Cauchy sequence, and thus convergent.

Have it to me no later than 4 PM Friday.
[/quote]
'Ya know, being rude to a moderator who took the time to answer your questions (which, indeed, were very simplistic) probably isn't a very good idea.
[/quote]
I thought it was sarcasm myself.

dale_grass · « **Reply #8 on:** March 14, 2007, 01:08:16 AM »

There. Cut and paste at your leisure.

Steve Gavazzi · « **Reply #9 on:** March 14, 2007, 07:12:54 PM »

I actually can't remember how long it's been since Barker said much more to someone with a good score than, "you got (for example) 80 cents. You don't want to spin again, do you? No. Step over there." People are still allowed to contradict him if they want -- hell, last week, there was a first spinner who spun again on 70.

Dbacksfan12 · « **Reply #10 on:** March 14, 2007, 07:16:43 PM »

[quote name=\'Steve Gavazzi\' post=\'148223\' date=\'Mar 14 2007, 06:12 PM\']
People are still allowed to contradict him if they want -- hell, last week, there was a first spinner who spun again on 70.
[/quote]
That's not that bad of a strategy, IMO. While the wizard would disagree, does a score of 70¢ win that often?

Matt Ottinger · « **Reply #11 on:** March 14, 2007, 07:38:22 PM »

[quote name=\'Modor\' post=\'148224\' date=\'Mar 14 2007, 07:16 PM\']
[quote name=\'Steve Gavazzi\' post=\'148223\' date=\'Mar 14 2007, 06:12 PM\']
People are still allowed to contradict him if they want -- hell, last week, there was a first spinner who spun again on 70.
[/quote]
That's not that bad of a strategy, IMO. While the wizard would disagree, does a score of 70¢ win that often?[/quote]
Well, the wizard (and anybody else with a grounding in probability) says that the first spinner should spin again on 65, so spinning on 70 probably isn't as outrageous as most people would think.

dale_grass · « **Reply #12 on:** March 15, 2007, 12:19:17 AM »

[quote name=\'Matt Ottinger\' post=\'148229\' date=\'Mar 14 2007, 06:38 PM\']
Well, the wizard (and anybody else with a grounding in probability) says that the first spinner should spin again on 65, so spinning on 70 probably isn't as outrageous as most people would think.
[/quote]

Not that I doubt his figures, but I'd be interested in seeing his work, especially how that 65 came up. (Perhaps because it's just under the 1/3 mark of the 50-100 set.)

PYLdude · « **Reply #13 on:** March 15, 2007, 12:42:14 PM »

[quote name=\'Modor\' post=\'148077\' date=\'Mar 14 2007, 12:41 AM\']
[quote name=\'dale_grass\' post=\'148074\' date=\'Mar 13 2007, 11:17 PM\']
OK, Matt. Sorry once again for the easy posts. Here's your next assignment:

Prove that every contractive sequence is a Cauchy sequence, and thus convergent.

Have it to me no later than 4 PM Friday.
[/quote]
'Ya know, being rude to a moderator who took the time to answer your questions (which, indeed, were very simplistic) probably isn't a very good idea.
[/quote]

Because, as we know, Mark, you're never rude to anybody.

Everyone else saw the sarcasm a mile away.