From: Erle Greer <vagab0nd@sd.cybernex.net>
Date: Fri, 26 Jul 1996 11:18:06 +0800
To: cypherpunks@toad.com
Subject: Re: Twenty Bank Robbers -- Game theory:)
Message-ID: <2.2.32.19960725225533.0070ca20@mail.sd.cybernex.net>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain


At 09:09 AM 7/25/96 -0500, you wrote:
>Here's a puzzle for our game theorists.
>
>Twenty cypherpunks robbed a bank. They took 20 million bucks. Here's
>how they plan to split the money: they stay in line, and the first guy
>suggests how to split the money. Then they vote on his suggestion. If
>50% or more vote for his proposal, his suggestion is adopted.
>
>Otherwise they kill the  first robber and now it is the turn of guy #2
>to make another splitting proposal. Same voting rules apply.
>
>The question is, what will be the outcome? How will they split the
>money, how many robbers will be dead, and so on?
>
>igor
>

Here's my guess:
Eache robber is going to want the largest share of the money possible.
Therefore The first guy dies automatically because that increases the share
size.  This continues on until there are only two robbers left.  Robber #19
suggests that he receives the full 20 million and since his vote is 50%, he
receives it all.  18 robbers dead.
vagab0nd@sd.cybernex.net
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