Spreadsheet Tool for an Interactive and Automatic Simulation of the Monty Hall Problem
Description
The Monty Hall Problem (Three-Door Problem) is a well-known example for a counterintuitive problem in probability theory. This site provides a VBA-based spreadsheet implementation in Excel for an interactive and automatic simulation of the Monty Hall Problem. The interactive simulation mode is carried out using Zoom or any other video conferencing software that enables group rooms. In this mode, the game process and the associated simulation based on the Excel tool provided here are deliberately not fully automated; rather, the participants in the role of hosts and contestants should carry out essential steps themselves, interact with each other, and thus become an active part of the simulation. The settings allow for different assumptions regarding, among other things, the random or conscious nature of decisions. This allows a range of different game situations to be mapped - from a purely random game (based solely on Excel’s random number generator) on the one hand to a purely conscious game (based on possibly tactical decisions and expectations of the participants) on the other. The results template can be used to aggregate the results of the interactive simulation of the breakout rooms, e.g. in combination with Moodle. The automatic mode enables fully automatic simulation with different speed and display options, e.g. successive chart creation during simulation. Finally, both modes allow for different assumptions regarding the probabilities for the car location, the contestant’s first choice and the door opened by the host. The simulation tool can be used in online teaching. Carrying out the interactive and automatic simulation provides data in the form of absolute and relative frequencies for wins and losses depending on whether the contestant switches doors or not. The results can then be discussed. Versions of the simulation tool: - for Windows: Monty Hall Problem Simulation 4.0 (Win) - for Mac: Monty Hall Problem Simulation 4.0 (Mac) Please note: Some functions are not available in the Mac version of the simulation tool provided here.
Files
Steps to reproduce
As this Excel file contains macros, it needs to be unblocked before using it. For further information, see the following websites: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365-apps/security/internet-macros-blocked https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365-apps/security/internet-macros-blocked#guidance-on-allowing-vba-macros-to-run-in-files-you-trust https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365-apps/mac/set-preference-macro-security-office-for-mac