First class

Our web page has links to:
the outlines & grading policy (syllabus),
details about cheating and littering (both not allowed by PSU).

Prereq.: solve system of linear equations with 1 or 2 variables; comparisons of numbers.

Game Theory is about
defining games,
defining solutions,
finding solutions (if exist).

In the first two classes we consider a few games with easy rules (can be explained in 5 minutes).

Here is Mother of all games. A player can choose $1 or $2.
Solution: the player takes $2.
If you do not understand this, drop the class.

More generaly, for any one player game, the maximal possible payoff is the value of game and any way to get is is called an optiml strategy.

Tic-Tac-Toe |   2   | 3 ||
Nim |   2 | 3   || |
car &goats = the Monty Hall problem | | 2 | 3 |4 | |
Heads and Tails = Matching Pennies 1   |   2    | 3 ||
Rock, Paper, Scissors 1 | | 2      | 3     ||

Games solved:
Tic-Tac-Toc - work on it at home, it is unknown whether this will be graded.
(solved completely) car & goats, The host knows where the car is and must offer the player to change.. Otherwise, the game is different.

Students:
learn these games, you may meet them at tests,
it is unknown whether/when we get a grader.