From the Exploring Data website - http://curriculum.qed.qld.gov.au/kla/eda/
© Education Queensland, 1997

Prisoners

How should you place your prisoners in the cells so that you can release them as quickly as possible ?

Equipment Needed (for each player)

• a playing board of 6 cells, 6 counters (prisoners), 2 dice (per pair of players)

Rules

• Each player can place their prisoners into any cells on their own game board. You can place one in each cell, or two in some cells and none in others, or even all six in one cell.

• Take turns to roll the two dice. Calculate the difference between the two numbers. You can release one prisoner (only one !) from the cell with that number. (eg. If the difference is 2, you can release one prisoner from cell 2.

• The winner is the first to release all their prisoners.

• Keep a record of where you place your prisoners for each game, marking (e.g. with an asterisk) the ones that were winners, as shown in the table below.

• Which initial arrangement do you feel will release the prisoners most quickly, on average?

Sources:
Charles Lovitt, Curriculum Corporation for the concept;
Robert Bowser, Glenmore High School for this arrangement.

[Solution]