1
$\begingroup$

Say a person is taking a quiz which is composed of 10 true-false questions. Which of these techniques has the highest likelihood to maximize your score:
1) Randomly answering true-false for every question
2) Simply circling all answers as True or all answers as false.
Is there a more interesting strategy that I haven't answered?

How does the probability change when the answers are evenly distributed vs. when they aren't. I feel that choice 2 has the highest probability of success, but I cannot mathematically express this, while others seem to think it doesn't matter, but they cannot mathematical

  • 2
    If one knows a little, but not very much, one can take advantage of the nasty habit of test-makers to try to fool people. Look at the more plausible-sounding of the two answers, and choose the opposite.2012-10-24
  • 0
    The trouble with @André's suggestion is that if you chance to actually learn some of the material being tested, the right answers will start sounding more plausible to you than the decoys. So you need not only to have a little knowledge, but also a solid understanding of where the limits of your knowledge are -- and by the time you have _that_ you'll probably be able to pass the quiz honestly after all.2012-10-24
  • 0
    @HenningMakholm: The comment above was only a little tongue in cheek. Particularly in high school tests, with too many too easy questions multiple choice in too little time, a good test-taker will generally beat someone who thinks.2012-10-24

2 Answers 2