In this clip from Young Sheldon, his pastor makes the claim that God’s existence was 50/50 and that people should bet on that coin flip. Sheldon is quick to point on that the pastor is confusing possibilities with probabilities, which is also a common mistake that students make in stats courses. A similar clip was posted before about a scene in Corner Gas involving a riot.
Life in Pieces — The Sleepover
Sam is ready for her sleepover, but didn’t pack a toothbrush. She’s already realized that when her teeth fall out, she gets money from the Tooth Fairy. She’s connected the dots and realized that by not brushing she could get the income sooner. Her parents aren’t amused.
This scene was brought to my attention by a regular #TeachEcon contributor, Courtney Conrad.
Thanks to James Tierney for actually posting the video on Critical Commons.
How I Met Your Mother — Bagpipes
Robin and Ted list all the ways that the upstairs neighbors are being inconsiderate during their “bagpiping.” While enjoying themselves, they are causing a negative externality in the apartment below them and they aren’t considering that when they decide to bagpipe.
Numb3rs: Monty Hall Problem
Charlie teaches his class “Math for Non-Mathematicians” the Monty Hall problem, where a game show contestant must decide whether to change their minds if given the option of 3 cards.
Numb3rs: Ultimatum Game
Charlie explains the Ultimatum Game to Nikki and why some people are willing to hurt themselves for revenge. When Nikki gives him $30 out of $100, she’s showing that concerns for equity lead people to act differently than what’s “optimal.”
Survivor — 21 Flags
Survivor: Thailand played a unique game for an elimination challenge by having contestants remove flags until a team has the final flag. This game illustrates the concept of backward induction in game theory, by having teams think backward from the final move. Once the optimal strategy is acquired, we realize that there is a first mover’s advantage.
Numb3rs: Prisoners Dilemma
Charlie explains the effects of the Prisoner’s Dilemma and how they can “trick” the prisoners into confessing the crime. It’s a little different than the traditional set-up, but still fun to watch.