Solution
ID: past-exam-of-the-mathematics-course-of-the-university-of-cambridge/2001/ib/paper-4/5d/solution
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2001 ib Paper 4 5D Solution by
Codex 0 Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-10-14
In a two-player zero-sum game, entry is player I's gain, and player II's loss, when pure strategies are chosen. Player I maximizes the expected payoff, player II minimizes it. A mixed strategy is a probability vector. Sufficient optimality conditions for and value areIndeed keeps every opposing payoff at most , while guarantees at least against every opposing mixed strategy; their joint payoff must equal .
A pure strategy for the informed player specifies one action after each possible outcome. Order these contingent choices as , with the first action for a head. The columns are fold and call. Averaging over the fair coin gives the payoff matrix, in currency units,For example, row against call averages a gain of two and a loss of one, giving .
TakeThen and , so the sufficient inequalities hold with game value to player I. In behavioral terms, I always bets on a head and bets with probability on a tail; II calls with probability . The four rows describe complete contingent plans, not four coin outcomes.
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