Principle Stash

Comic

Chart of how often the majority is right against the number of voters, 1, 3, 9, 27 and 81, each voting independently. A dashed line at 50 percent is labelled a coin flip. A teal line for voters who are each right 60% of the time climbs from 60% to 65%, 73%, 86% and 97%: more voters, more right. A red line for voters who are each right 40% of the time falls from 40% to 35%, 27%, 14% and 3%: more voters, more wrong.

Better Than a Coin Flip

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Three wrong answers make a quorum.

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Appears in Reliable Machines From Unreliable Parts

Transcript

How often the majority is right, against the number of voters: 1, 3, 9, 27 and 81, each voting independently. A dashed line at 50% marks a coin flip.

Each voter right 60% of the time: more voters, more right. 60%, 65%, 73%, 86%, 97%.

Each voter right 40% of the time: more voters, more wrong. 40%, 35%, 27%, 14%, 3%.