Just saying as a thought experiment that having fewer parts does not mean it will break down less often.
A "thought experiment" is when you set the stage to explain something using fundamental physics.
There are hundreds of thousands of one-gear cars on the road. There is data.
A thought experiment needs to explain something using fundamental physics? What about a math or logic related thought experiment?
Why would I have to include maybe or might in a thought experiment?
I'm down with math and logic, as well as physics. But the problem here appears to be that you left out a word, so your audience is mystified.
Product A has 100 parts. Each part has a 10 percent chance of breaking over the products lifetime.
Product B has 25 parts. Each has a 10 percent chance of breaking over the product’s lifetime.
Which product is more likely to break more often?