Chance News (July-August 2005): Difference between revisions
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< | <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 | Then we randomly pair the ends and make n joins. Let E(n) be the<br> | ||
number of loops. What is E(n)? < | expected number of loops. What is E(n)? </blockquote> | ||
Revision as of 19:16, 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 sent us. If you happen to know a reference to this problem please mention this in the discussion page for this chance news.
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)?