Overview

Mathematical expectation or expected value represents the long-term average numerical outcome to an experiment performed a large number of times. Routinely used in the physical sciences, business, and economics, mathematical expectation has also been used to calculate strategies in games of chance and even to justify the belief in God. How can this expression, which is trivial to calculate, have such broad applications and at the same time yield unexpected irresolvable paradoxes? In an easily accessible presentation, this book explores these puzzling and entertaining mysteries.

Full Product Details

Author:   Leonard M. Wapner
Publisher:   Taylor & Francis Inc
Imprint:   A K Peters
Dimensions:   Width: 15.20cm , Height: 2.30cm , Length: 22.90cm
Weight:   0.476kg
ISBN:  

9781568817217

ISBN 10:   1568817215
Pages:   220
Publication Date:   04 June 2012
Audience:   College/higher education ,  College/higher education ,  Tertiary & Higher Education ,  Tertiary & Higher Education
Format:   Hardback
Publisher's Status:   Active
Availability:   In Print  
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Table of Contents

The Crystal Ball. Looking Back. The ABCs of E. Doing the Right Thing. Aversion Perversion. And the Envelope Please! Parrondo’s Paradox: You Can Win for Losing. Imperfect Recall. Non-Zero-Sum Games: The Inadequacy of Individual Rationality. Newcomb’s Threat. Benford’s Law. Let the Mystery Be! Bibliography. Index.

Reviews

... the thrust of the book is to illustrate the myriad of applications of the simple formula for expected value, independent of the mathematical justification that underlies them. At this, Unexpected Expectations is a success. ... an excellent contribution to popular mathematics writing. -Mark Bollman, MAA Reviews, July 2012

Author Information

Wapner, Leonard M.

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