Joseph Spencer, Ph. D. will discuss the mathematics involved in popular game show
Published on
Grand Rapids, Michigan (September 14, 2007) - Aquinas College Associate Professor
of Mathematics Joseph Spencer, Ph. D. will discuss the mathematics involved in the
popular game show "Deal or No Deal?" in a lecture from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday,
Sept. 18 in the Wege Center Ballroom at Aquinas College. Entitled "What's the Deal
with 'Deal or No Deal?'" the lecture is part of the Aquinas College Lecture Series
and is free and open to the public.
"Deal or No Deal?" is the hit game show produced by NBC wherein contestants play and deal for up to $1 million in cash prizes. At various points throughout the show, an entity known only as the "Banker" offers each contestant a certain sum of money to stop. "I was curious: how does the Banker make his offer?" said Spencer. After figuring out the mathematical formula used to determine the Banker's offer in the online version of the game, the Aquinas professor set his sights on the TV version. "The lecture will address how we can decide if we should take the deal or not," said Spencer. "When is it a good deal and when is it not?" Though Spencer will discuss mathematical concepts such as expected value, he has designed the lecture to be casual, informative and fun.
Joseph Spencer, Ph. D. is an associate professor of Mathematics at Aquinas College in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He received his master’s and doctorate degrees from Michigan State University and has been at Aquinas since 1995.
"Deal or No Deal?" is the hit game show produced by NBC wherein contestants play and deal for up to $1 million in cash prizes. At various points throughout the show, an entity known only as the "Banker" offers each contestant a certain sum of money to stop. "I was curious: how does the Banker make his offer?" said Spencer. After figuring out the mathematical formula used to determine the Banker's offer in the online version of the game, the Aquinas professor set his sights on the TV version. "The lecture will address how we can decide if we should take the deal or not," said Spencer. "When is it a good deal and when is it not?" Though Spencer will discuss mathematical concepts such as expected value, he has designed the lecture to be casual, informative and fun.
Joseph Spencer, Ph. D. is an associate professor of Mathematics at Aquinas College in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He received his master’s and doctorate degrees from Michigan State University and has been at Aquinas since 1995.