Humberto Barreto

Papers and Projects

Jan 2011: Explaining More Passing as a Rational Response to Decreased Risk

Working paper version of this paper: ExplainingPassing.pdf

Team data set: NFLTeamData19702009.xls

Play-by-play data set: NFLPlayData2005.xls

 

Aug 2010: Testing Optimization

Summer research with Ryne Weppler. We implement the lifeguard problem in an Excel workbook.

PDF of paper with description and explanation. (forthcoming)

Lifeguard Game.xls (on open, be sure to enable macros)

 

July 2009: Parrondo's Paradox: the puzzling fact that two losing games can be combined to yield a winning game.

"A MICROSOFT EXCEL VERSION OF PARRONDO’S PARADOX"

Parrando’s paradox is analyzed via Monte Carlo simulation and Markov chains within Microsoft Excel. The properties of individual and mixed games are clearly demonstrated. The accompanying Excel workbook, Parrondo.xls, enables the reader to replicate results, verify claims, and extend the analysis in unforeseen ways.

Paper Excel Workbook Excel Macro Instructions
ParrondoSSRN2.pdf Parrondo.xls EnableMacros.doc

 

June 1995: I wrote the Coase/Pigou paper below, but I never published it after a correspondence with Coase left me completely confused and unsure of my position. My review of Medema's Hesitant Hand (in Research in the History of Economic Thought and Methodology) reminded me of this episode and since I refer to my Coase/Pigou paper in the review, I decided to make it available here. Please do not quote it without my permission.

Pigou, Coase, and Efficiency Applied to Pennsylvania Coal Mining Law

 

Questions and feedback: hbarreto@depauw.edu

 

Last Updated: 6 Jan 2011