Marilyn vos Savant, renowned for her record-breaking IQ of 228, made headlines in 1990 with her column addressing the famous Monty Hall problem.
The Monty Hall Problem:
A contestant faces three doors, behind one of which is a car, while the other two hide goats. After the contestant selects a door, the host reveals a goat behind one of the remaining doors. The contestant is then given the choice to switch doors.
Marilyn's Answer:
"Yes, you should switch." This answer sparked an overwhelming reaction, with over 10,000 letters, including nearly 1,000 from PhD holders, with 90% insisting she was wrong.
Why She Was Right:
1. Probability Breakdown: Switching doors increases the probability of winning to 2/3, while staying with the initial choice has a 1/3 chance of success.
2. Proof and Validation: Computer simulations by MIT and experiments by MythBusters confirmed her answer.
The Backstory of Marilyn vos Savant:
- Renowned for her record-breaking IQ of 228
- Faced significant challenges growing up, including dropping out of the University of Washington to support her family business
- Began her Ask Marilyn column for Parade Magazine in 1985
Public Response and Legacy:
Marilyn's answer highlighted the gap between intuition and logic, making the Monty Hall problem a lasting example of probability theory's complexities.