Chance News (July-August 2005): Difference between revisions

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Here is a nice probability question that one of our students sent us.  If you happen to know a reference to this problem please mention this in the discussion  page for this chance news.
Here is a nice probability question that one of our students asked us to solve.
 


<blockquote>QUESTION: We start with n ropes and gather their 2n ends together.<br>  
<blockquote>QUESTION: We start with n ropes and gather their 2n ends together.<br>  
Then we randomly pair the ends and make n joins. Let E(n) be the<br>  
Then we randomly pair the ends and make n joins. Let E(n) be the<br>  
expected number of loops. What is E(n)? </blockquote>
expected number of loops. What is E(n)? </blockquote>
If you happen to know a reference to this problem please mention this in the discussion page for this chance news.

Revision as of 19:19, 1 July 2005

Under construction. See Chance News (May-June 2005) for additional recent chance news.

Numbers are like people; torture them enough and they'll tell you anything.


Here is a nice probability question that one of our students asked us to solve.

QUESTION: We start with n ropes and gather their 2n ends together.

Then we randomly pair the ends and make n joins. Let E(n) be the

expected number of loops. What is E(n)?

If you happen to know a reference to this problem please mention this in the discussion page for this chance news.