Chapter 11:It's alwais five-sixths

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Saki was getting so frustrated that she had thrown what sge thought was the right way to teach out tge window. Well, not like she was planning to become a teacher anyway.

At this point, she thinks ge's just messing with her. That's exactly the type of thing he's do.

Saki:In other words, it's only after that five-sixths probability occurs, and then that one-fifth probability occurs, that Player B loses their life and that's how it gets calculated.

Kumagawa:[I understand. So basically, the probability of Player B getting a Game Over comes from combining five-sixths and one-fifth, right?]

Saki:...Yes?

Kumagawa:[So we add five-sixths and one-fifth. Let's see, get the lowest common denominator twenty-five out of thirty plus six out of thirty makes thirty-one out of thirty, or about 103 percent!]

Why would he go over 100 percents? Was this supposed to be some temporary consumption tax?

Saki:Why would you add them together? When you combine two fractions, you're supposed to multiply them, Kumagawa-kun. Not addition, but multiplication.

Kumagawa:[Oh, is that so.]

He did seem particularry surprised by such a thing. So he was messing with her!

Kumagawa:[Than we end up with one-sixth.]

Saki:We did, didn't we? In other words, the conditions are the same. In Russian Roulette, whether you go first or second, there's no advantage or disadvantage.

Kumagawa:[This is a really confusing concept, huh? I more or less understand it now, but just for reference, let's keep going. If Player B also survives on their first try, then what's the probability for when it comes to Player A's turn again? That is, the probability of Player A getting a Game Over on their second try?]

Saki:In that case, it's five-sixths times four-fifths times one-fourth of course, it should be obvious that it's one-fourth because there could be one bullet in any of the four remaining spaces.

Kumagawa:[And five-sixths times four-fifths times one-fourth is also one-sixth. And after that, Player B's second try?]

Saki:Five-sixths times four-fifths times three-fourths times one-third, that equals?

Kumagawa:[One-sixth...]

In the end, in Russian Roulette it didn't matter at what time you pulled the trigger. Regardless of that, the chance of getting shot is still one-sixth.

Kumagawa:[I see...Even though, on the very last turn, the bullet is going to shoot out for certain, even though it's a probability of one out of one, it's kind of weird that, after combining everything, it turns out to be one-sixth anyway. Numbers don't really go along with human intuition, huh?]

Saki:I mean, that also goes for the things you say, too...But in the end, numbers are what's right. The probability of one-sixth stays the same, whenever the trigger is pulled.

Kumagawa:[Even if it's 99 percent impossible, as long as there's 1 percent of hope, I won't give up! So lines like that are only true in Weekly Shonen Jump, huh...]

Saki:Yup. No matter how much it goes against human intuition, a 99 percent chance of failure is a 99 percent chance of failure. In the case of an actual success, it's most likely that the initial probability calculation was wrong.

This was something blunt and shameless which Kumagawa would usually say. But it was already 5 PM, so they have to work together with the banter because of how little time they have left.

Kumagawa picked up the revolver and gave it a look over. Saki really hoped he got bored of this and decided to throw it away and leave.

To be fair, she doesn't really know what this whole message thing is all about. But she still thinks it would be pitiful for Uchi to just wait there fir nothing.

Kumagawa:[Hey, Saki-chan. The probability theory you just taught me is pretty widely known, right?]

Saki:Mm...Yeah, well, I'd say so. It's something you learn in middle school math. At least, all the students here at Suisou Academy should know it.

Kumagawa:[I see. Then it should be safe to assume that Teppou-chan knows about it, too. If it's just common knowledge.]

Saki:Yeah...Probably.

Kumagawa:[Okay, and one more thing. Is it safe to assume that everyone mutually thinks that that probability theory doesn't go along with human intuition?」

Saki:Mm...What do you mean?

Kumagawa:[Ah, so, to make it easier to understand⁠-if someone that had the same reaction as me showed up, if someone appeared claiming the same incorrect probability theory that I was saying, then most people wouldn't think, "What the hell is this guy talking about?", and instead they'd think, "Ah, he just doesn't get it. It's a common mistake that amateurs make", right?]

Saki:Mmm...Well, sure. That sounds right.

Kumagawa:[So just to confirm. Basically, when someone declares that in Russian Roulette, whoever goes second has the advantage, even though it's obvious why that's wrong, it's not a completely unfounded assertion, either.]

Saki:That sure is a roundabout way of saying things...If there's something you want to ask, I'd prefer if you stated it as a clear question. But, sure, I'd say so.

Mathematically is correct, but this wasn't the case for everyone. After all, there were such people that believe in fortune telling.

Kumagawa:[All right...Then, I'll go with that.]

Saki:Eh?

Kumagawa:[I've thought of a way. No matter what, there's absolutely no real conquest strategy for Russian Roulette. But if it can be a conquest strategy that doesn't necessarily have to be a sure-win strategy, then I have an idea. Since in the end, all I really need to do is beat that cheeky kouhai, Teppou-chan, in an argument.]

Kumagawa passed the revolver to Saki once again. He really should stop acting like this is her propriety to begin with.

She quickly gathered the bullets previously taken out. They couldn't play without them and she felt that was a task that befall upon her.

Saki:You've thought of a way...But what kind of way? If possible, I'd like to hear it before we actually go...

Kumagawa:[That's something you can look forward to at the actual scene. Because if I tell you now, you'll probably just deny it.]

Saki:Eh? So it's something that I'll probably deny?

Kumagawa:[No, no, even an incorrect theory can crush a correct one depending on how you make your argument. That's how I've been living all this time. I used my might to make whatever I wanted right.]

Saki's mind went back to Uchi's words, about how Kumagawa was a proffesional at lying. Because what he was saying right now just sounded absurd.

Saki:Then, at least, with that idea of yours, at least tell me how much confidence you have to beat Teppou-san in an argument. In terms of probability, how much?

Kumagawa:[In terms of probability? Then of course, it'd be five-sixth.]

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