Question

Which of these sortition methods can be used to select a person for a certain task from among 24 candidates?

A. Throw 2 dice. Assign a combination (for example 5-6) to each candidate.
B. Flip a coin 5 times. Assign a sequence (for example H-T-H-H-T) to each candidate.
C. Roll a dice 1 time and flip a coin 2 times. Assign a sequence (for example 4-H-T) to each candidate.
D. Flip a coin and roll 2 dice. Assign a sequence (for example H-3-4) to each candidate.

Answer 1

222 for 5 and go to the right

Answer 2

C. Roll a dice 1 time and flip a coin 2 times. Assign a sequence (for example 4-H-T) to each candidate

Explanation:

All of these methods can be used. In methods A, B and D, there are more possible outcomes than candidates, so the process may need to be repeated—possibly several times—in order to choose a candidate.

For methods A and D, the dice need to be separately identifiable.

For option D, each candidate can have 3 different sequences assigned, as there are 72 possible outcomes (3 times 24). That way, one execution of the method will result in a chosen candidate.

Method C is the simplest, because there are exactly 24 outcomes