Bertrand's paradox: a physical solution

Details Bertrand's paradox: a physical solution Bertrand's paradox: a physical solution

2010-08-11

arxiv.org/abs/1008.1878v1

Physics

Data Analysis, Statistics and Probability

3 pages, 3 figures

Scientific paper

We present a conclusive answer to Bertrand's paradox, a long standing open issue in the basic physical interpretation of probability. The paradox deals with the existence of mutually inconsistent results when looking for the probability that a chord, drawn at random in a circle, is longer than the side of an inscribed equilateral triangle. We obtain a unique solution by substituting chord drawing with the throwing of a straw of finite length L on a circle of radius R, thus providing a satisfactory operative definition of the associated experiment. The obtained probability turns out to be a function of the ratio L/R, as intuitively expected.

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