Re: [MLUG - DISCUSSION] fun math thing

[Mike Miller <EMAIL:PROTECTED>]

On Thu, 1 Jun 2006, Stephen Montgomery-Smith wrote:

> Another point of discussion - it is theoretically a certainty that if 
> you give a monkey a typewriter, and an infinite life, that eventually it 
> will type the complete works of Shakespeare.  But it is practically 
> impossible that this will ever happen.

You have to make an assumption about the way the monkey will use the 
typewriter.  For example, if it types random keys, it will eventually do 
as you say.  It will also do it infinitely many times.  Sometimes, when it 
types Hamlet, it will get every single bit of it just like the original 
except that it will type "To be or not to banana?" in the soliloquy.

Now, I know that someone on this list was claiming a few years ago to have 
infinitely many monkeys typing simultaneously on infinitely many 
computers.  This was producing infinitely many collections of 
Shakespeare's works every second.  Just think of how many you'd have in an 
hour!  ;-)

Mike

_______________________________________________
discussion mailing list
EMAIL:PROTECTED
http://mlug.missouri.edu/mailman/listinfo/discussion