Optimum number of items to inspect before buying one

According to LessWrong, a mathematical analysis shows there's an optimal number of items to inspect before buying a product. The calculation depends on the quality range available in the market, divided by the time it takes to inspect each item. The answer is roughly the square root of that ratio. In a concrete example, if that ratio is sixty-four, you should inspect no more than four items. The formula holds across various market distributions, though the author cautions it represents a conservative worst-case bound—real-world shopping might require even fewer inspections.

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