Objective function

• Objective function

  • Maximize the probability of getting No.1 as a function of the cutoff percentage (i.e., % after which you start saying “yes”)

• Example

  • Say n=4 suitors
  • Reject first 37%

    • Pass up first (25%) and pick the one after that who is better than all previous ones
    • Gets the “best” in 11 out of 24 cases: 47%

• Suitors may come in all 24 rank orders:

  • 1234 1243 1342 1423
  • 1432 2134(*) 2143(*) 2314(*)
  • 2341(*) 2413(*) 2431(*) 3124(*)
  • 3142 (*) 3214 3241 3412(*)
  • 3421 4123(*) 4132(*) 4213
  • 4231 4312 4321 1324
  • * means that she got the “best” one, with a rank of 1

Previous slide

Next slide

Back to first slide

View graphic version