Guessing a number

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understandinguncertainty.org was produced by the Winton programme for the public understanding of risk based in the Statistical Laboratory in the University of Cambridge. The aim was to help improve the way that uncertainty and risk are discussed in society, and show how probability and statistics can be both useful and entertaining.

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When I started as a first year university student, I joined a queue with other students to get a locker allocated and receive a key. Bored, and for not particular reason apart from boredom, I asked myself whether the key would be no. 521. When my turn came, some 15 minutes later, I was given key no. 521. I was so surprised I at first did not take the key and asked why I had been given that one. As can be imagined, I was given an odd look and asked what was wrong with it whereupon I took it and left. In the queue, I had not guessed lots of different numbers, just the one. Neither before then or since have I ever been in a situation where a number came into my mind.
Total votes: 500
Date submitted:Sat, 14 Jan 2012 08:52:45 +0000Coincidence ID:3574