The Twelve Bonk rule

[archerships]

Or, in another variation of the model, whose solution she refers to as the “twelve bonk rule,” there’s a result that says that if you simply want to ensure that your choice is better than 90% of the other choices available, simply ’sample’ the first 12 possibilities and pick the first person who is better after the first 12. This strategy gives you a 77% possibility of success.

Via this review of Mathematics and Sex.

Comments

[crasch.livejournal.com]

That's too bad. Seemed like it would be interesting to read--what didn't you like?

[faustin.livejournal.com]

Could that mean a series of 13-20 samples for each variable you're trying to optimize?
- generous
- handsome
- interesting
-

...yeah, I guess you'd be trying to optimize for everything in one person. This still leaves potentially many years variability in what you consider "sampling". I've met many women who would consider speed dating sufficient interaction for a true negative, I don't suppose they could finish in a single evening.

[forestmaster.livejournal.com]

It was an ok read, but seemed more like a way to write a dissertation that partially justified a promiscuous grad student's lifestyle and tie it back to some mathematical formulas about various kinds of relationships or experiences that generally occur as one progresses in significant other sort of relationships. I'd say it's more of a book to borrow rather than buy if you have the option. I got my copy through paperbackswap.com and released it back for others through paperbackswap.com too... otherwise I'd send it your way so you could see for yourself...