(New page: == Question == Suppose n people throw their car keys in a hat and then each picks one key at random. SO what is the expected value of X , the number of people who gets back their own key...)
 
 
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== Question ==
 
== Question ==
  
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Here there are N people.
 
Here there are N people.
 
   
 
   
So P(Xi=1)= <math>1/n</math>  
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So P(Xi=1)= <math>\frac{1}{n}\!</math>  
  
 
and so that P(Xi=0)= 1-(1/n)
 
and so that P(Xi=0)= 1-(1/n)
  
so  E[Xi]=<math>1*1/n + 0*(1-(1/n))</math>
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so  E[Xi]=<math>1*\frac{1}{n}\ + 0*(1-\frac{1}{n}\!)</math>
           =<math>1/n</math>
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           =<math>\frac{1}{n}\!</math>
  
 
Now we have X= X1+X2+X3+.....+Xn
 
Now we have X= X1+X2+X3+.....+Xn
  
 
So E[X]=E[X1]+E[X2]+E[X3]+.......+E[Xn]
 
So E[X]=E[X1]+E[X2]+E[X3]+.......+E[Xn]
       =<math>n*(1/n)</math>
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       =<math>n*\frac{1}{n}\!</math>
 
       =1
 
       =1
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Latest revision as of 12:17, 22 November 2011


Question

Suppose n people throw their car keys in a hat and then each picks one key at random. SO what is the expected value of X , the number of people who gets back their own key.


SOLUTION

Lets denote for i th person, a random variable Xi.

If that person goes with his own key then Xi=1 and Xi=0 otherwise.

Here there are N people.

So P(Xi=1)= $ \frac{1}{n}\! $

and so that P(Xi=0)= 1-(1/n)

so E[Xi]=$ 1*\frac{1}{n}\ + 0*(1-\frac{1}{n}\!) $

         =$ \frac{1}{n}\! $

Now we have X= X1+X2+X3+.....+Xn

So E[X]=E[X1]+E[X2]+E[X3]+.......+E[Xn]

      =$ n*\frac{1}{n}\! $
      =1

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