Suppose that each of two prisoners has the independent choice of confessing to a crime or not confessing to a crime they were both alleged to commit. If neither confesses, they spend 2 years in jail; if both confess, they spend 3 years in jail. If one confesses and the other does not, the confessor gets off with 1 year in jail while the other gets 6 years in jail.

According to game theory, the likely strategy of the prisoners is that:

A. one will confess and the other will not.

B. either will confess.

C. both may or may not confess.

D. both will confess.

Question

Mathematics

Laney Leon

5 November, 21:44

Suppose that each of two prisoners has the independent choice of confessing to a crime or not confessing to a crime they were both alleged to commit. If neither confesses, they spend 2 years in jail; if both confess, they spend 3 years in jail. If one confesses and the other does not, the confessor gets off with 1 year in jail while the other gets 6 years in jail.

According to game theory, the likely strategy of the prisoners is that:

A. one will confess and the other will not.

B. either will confess.

C. both may or may not confess.

D. both will confess.

+3

Answers (1)

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Darius · Answer 1

C. both may or may not confess

Step-by-step explanation:

lets set-out the possibilities:

1. if neither confesses they both spend two (2) years in jail

2. if both confesses they both spend three (3) years in jail

3. if one confesses he/she gets off with one year while the other gets six (6) years in jail

from the above the least sentence involving both of them is if they both confess or neither confesses.

if only one chooses to confess and the other deny he/she will spend 6 years behind bars. i don't think that will be an option they will want to take