How to select a loser
Abstract.
$N$ people select a {\it loser} 
by flipping coins. Recursively, the
0-party continues until the loser is found. Among other things, it is
shown that this process stops on the average after about $\log_2N$ steps.
Nevertheless, this very plausible result requires rather advanced 
methods.
helmut@gauss.cam.wits.ac.za
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