Questions tagged [probability-theory]
Questions about the branch of mathematics concerned with modelling and analysing random phenomena.
451
questions
2
votes
1
answer
50
views
Rank in a Convex Combination
Given vectors $A, B \in \mathbb{R}^{n}$, $w \in [0,1]$ and $x \in \mathbb{R}$, let
$$
Rank(A,B,w,x)=\sum_{i=1}^{n} \boldsymbol 1 \{w A_{i} +(1-w) B_{i} < x\}
$$
denote the number of elements in the ...
0
votes
1
answer
22
views
Expected value of Markov chain after nth steps
A Markov chain $\{ X_n, n \geqslant 0\}$ with states 0, 1, 2 has the transition probability matrix $$P= \begin{bmatrix} \frac12 & \frac13 & \frac16 \\ 0 & \frac12 & \frac23 \\ \frac12 &...
- 143
1
vote
1
answer
39
views
Average and max. hitting time to a specific vertex [closed]
Consider simple random walks that stop when reaching a given node $x$ in an undirected, unweighted and connected graph on $n$ nodes.
Let
$H(i,x)$ denote the (expected) hitting time from $i$ to $x$, ...
- 13
1
vote
1
answer
85
views
Sample a set of N numbers without replacement, each element taken from N different weighted sets
Here's my problem: I have $N$ sets of integers $S_i$ where $|S_i| = n_i \forall i \in [1,N]$ each with non-uniform weights $W_i = \{w_{i,1}, ..., w_{i,n_i}\}$ such that $\sum_{j}{w_{i,j}} = 1$. I want ...
- 23
1
vote
1
answer
20
views
Conditional entropies of sum relations
Let $(X_1,Y_1)$ and $(X_2,Y_2)$ be identically and independently distributed. Also consider $Z=X_1+X_2$. I am trying to prove the following inequality:
$$ H(X_2 \vert Y_1 Y_2 Z) \leq H (X_1 \vert Y_1)\...
- 313
0
votes
0
answers
28
views
Tight bounds for expected maximum of k binomial(n,p) IIDs
What is the tightest lower and upper bound for the expected maximum value of k IID Binomial(n, p) random variables
I tried to derive it :
$$Pr[max \leq C] = (\sum_{i = 0}^C {n \choose i}p^i(1 - p)^i)^...
- 13
0
votes
0
answers
21
views
Entropy of a single Hint
Assume that the probability that a woman is above 80 years old is 3 times that of a man. How much information (in bits) do you get if you are given that a 80 year old person is a male?
How should I ...
0
votes
0
answers
16
views
Probability Estimation with Chernoff Bound
Let's say there is an unfair coin with $P[head]=p$. We do not now $p$ but we know that $p \geq a$ for a known $a$. After $n$ trials we get $bn$ heads. Now, we want to estimate $p$ so that
$P[|p-b|\...
1
vote
0
answers
36
views
Bloom filter creating different arrays from two input sets
Assume a bloom filter that is composed of $H = \{H_1, ..., H_k\}$ hash functions, and uniformly maps elements from an input set $X$ to an array $A$ of size $n$. Let $X_1, X_2$ (not same) be two input ...
1
vote
1
answer
31
views
Distribution maximizing ratio of expected maximum over the mean
I’m looking for a distribution that is non-negative, or has good tail bounds (so non-negative with high probability) and maximizes the ratio between the expected maximum of $n$ iid samples and the ...
- 13
2
votes
1
answer
36
views
Question about what exponentially small probability of success means in randomized algorithms
I am reading the book Randomized Algorithms By Motwani and Raghavan, and one of their exercises gives a modification of Karger's Min-Cut algorithm(Both is Monte Carlo) which picks two vertices and ...
- 169
1
vote
1
answer
39
views
Influence of a variable in composition of Boolean functions
Suppose $f$ and $g$ are Boolean functions without a constant term, and where every variable has the same influence. How to show every variable will have the same influence in $f \circ g$?
To me it ...
1
vote
1
answer
21
views
Distance bound for convex combination of inputs
Let $f$ be a function of 2 variables. Consider $f\colon X \times Y \rightarrow Z$.
Let $P_i$ (for $i=1,\ldots,n$) be $n$ probability distributions on $X$, and let $Q$ be a distribution on $Z$.
We ...
- 313
0
votes
1
answer
152
views
how many bits should I expect to flip, if I flip each bit with probability 1/n?
I am trying to work out some analysis for an algorithm I am trying to write, one step of what I am doing require knowing the answer to the above question.
I know it might sound a bit simple, but I am ...
- 310
1
vote
0
answers
28
views
Hashing for dot products
I've come across this problem that uses hashing to compute dot products (for non-negative vectors).
Suppose we are in $d$-dimensional space and $M$ will be our target for our hash. That is we have a ...
- 21
0
votes
1
answer
31
views
What is conditional probability?
I've been looking online and through a couple youtube videos but I cannot understand how exactly conditional entropy is being applied here. From what I'm understanding is that p(Y=1 | X=1) is 0 ...
- 11
1
vote
1
answer
19
views
Observable Markov Model: Expected number of observations
I have a question that asks me "What is the expected number of observations in a state?" with the note:
$$\sum^{\infty}_{d=1}d a^{d=1} = \frac{1}{(a-1)^2}\text{ when } |a| < 1$$
Prior to ...
- 121
0
votes
0
answers
12
views
Algorithmic Complexity of Enqueue and Dequeue of a Special Queue [duplicate]
The Canteen Queue Problem: There is a common canteen for $K$ hostels. Each hostel (co-ed) has some $N_1, N_2,...,N_K$ students. These students line up to pick up their trays in the common canteen, in ...
1
vote
0
answers
46
views
Most Likely Number of Winners - Dynamic Programming
You are given a team's win probability for each game on their schedule in the form P[1..n] where P[i] is the likelihood they win game i. Give a dynamic programming algorithm that returns the most ...
- 11
0
votes
2
answers
42
views
Question about Markov Chains
The following question is taken from the book titled "Probability models for Computer Science" written by Sheldon M. Ross.
Question:
A particle moves along n + 1 vertices that are situated ...
- 143
2
votes
1
answer
56
views
Analysis of a calculation of expected number of collisions in hashing
For a formal problem statement, I quote from the text Introduction to Algorithms by Cormen et. al
Suppose we use a hash function $h$ to hash $n$ distinct keys into an array $T$ of length $m$. ...
- 1,032
2
votes
0
answers
53
views
Decision problem solution monte carlo
I have a rather straightforward question for this community (that I am not able to solve). Assume there is a probability of Tom having a bag of candy. If Tom has a bag, he says the truth 4/5 times and ...
- 21
0
votes
0
answers
19
views
Computer network graph design
In the following question, we need to suggest a graph design and a routing algorithm.
Routing from $A$ to $B$ is done by returning an edge sequence in the graph that will lead us from $A$ to $B$
...
- 103
0
votes
1
answer
37
views
Algorithm best compare similarities between two data sets in percentage
I'm trying to create an algorithm that finds the percentage of similarity between two subjects with sets of survey questions.
Example:
Q1: Do you prefer physically demanding tasks?
A1: Nope Maybe Yes -...
- 101
2
votes
0
answers
58
views
questions about queuing delay
I am learning computer network, and confused by the queuing delay. In my textbook, it says that when La/R approaches 1, and with random inter-arrival times, then the average queuing delay is closer to ...
- 19
0
votes
1
answer
211
views
If the probability of frame being lost is $P.$ Then, calculate the mean no. of transmission for the frame to make it success$.$ [closed]
Here the probability of frame being lost is $P.$ So the probability of frame reaching safely would be $(1-P).$
Now lets consider that the frame will reach safely in $k$-th transmission. That means ...
- 1
1
vote
0
answers
45
views
Is quantum computing a serious usable instrument for the IT industry?
Following this latest and very exciting research object I can't find till now a usable computer in that style.
I would like to call actual quantum computing by the topic "researching of quantum ...
1
vote
1
answer
29
views
Why does random noise in recurring task periods result in uniform period offsets?
I have a recurring task which finished just now. I schedule it to run every ten minutes; the task will reoccur $10n$ minutes from now for all positive $n$. If instead I choose 50/50 between ten ...
- 689
2
votes
1
answer
55
views
Why is $\mathcal{D}^m(\{S:L_{(\mathcal{D},f)}(A(S))\gt \epsilon\})\leq \mathcal{D}^m\left(\bigcup^4_{i=1}F_i\right)$ true?
I am studying the book "Understanding Machine Learning:
From Theory to Algorithms". I am struggling to understand the solution to exercise 3 (2) on page 41.
Exercise:
An axis aligned ...
- 155
1
vote
0
answers
13
views
Distributed Graph Consensus to fit a distribution?
$G$ is a strongly connected graph with nodes $V$ and edges $E$. Each node $v_i$ receives a sample $x_i$ from a Gaussian $\mathcal{N}(\mu,\sigma^2)$ with unknown mean and variance.
The objective is for ...
- 453
2
votes
1
answer
151
views
Given only the expected runtime of an algorithm, what can Markov's inequality tell us about its worst-case runtime?
The following is exercise 3.8 from the first edition of Mitzenmacher and Upfal's Probability and Computing: Randomized Algorithms and Probabilistic Analysis.
Suppose that we have an algorithm that ...
- 303
2
votes
2
answers
163
views
Question about "with high probability"
An event that occurs with high probability is one whose probability depends on a certain number $n$ and goes to $1$ as $n$ goes to infinity, i.e. it can be made as close as desired to $1$ by making $n$...
- 503
3
votes
2
answers
144
views
Satisfiable CNFs where each clause contains logarithmically many different literals
Studying for my finals in Complexity theory. This question comes up in different variants and it requires to use probability.
A side note before, to be more clear: A CNF clause consists of $n$ clauses
...
- 209
1
vote
1
answer
39
views
How long a graph random walk takes to hit every vertex?
I have a simply connected graph $G$. I start at a uniformly randomly chosen vertex, and from there, randomly walk through the graph by choosing a random edge to follow at each step.
On average, how ...
- 453
1
vote
0
answers
35
views
Computing a threshold function
Let $f$ be any function from $\{0, 1\}^{n}$ to $\{-1, 1\}$. For a given $f$, let us define another function $g_f$ as
\begin{equation}
g_f(x) = \sum_{x \in \{0, 1\}^{n}} f(x).
\end{equation}
Let us be ...
- 219
2
votes
1
answer
111
views
Deriving a lower bound on the conditional entropy, conditioned on an event
I came across Lemma 19 in Certifying Equality With Limited Interaction, which states the following for jointly distributed random variables $Z$, $W$, where $Z$ takes values in $\{0,1\}^n$, and some ...
- 23
1
vote
0
answers
10
views
expected value of map generate algorithm
I designed a program to create a map in my 2D game program. And I have three questions...
algorithm:
step1:
...
- 11
1
vote
1
answer
35
views
A small question about generating random variable with geometric distribution
I was reading Professor Knuth's Volume 2 (page 136) about generating a geometrically distributed random variable $N$ (with $p$ as the probability of success).
Basically, the idea is to generate a ...
- 285
4
votes
1
answer
171
views
Count Sketch probability bound
I have been reading up on the Count Sketch algorithm, and I stumpled upon the Count Sketh algorithm explained in section 5 of https://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~ac/Teach/data-streams-lecnotes.pdf. Then, I ...
2
votes
2
answers
70
views
Quicksort: Probability of an element being compared to fewer than $k$ pivot elements
Assume we want to use quicksort on some array $s$ with length $n$ consisting of only $n$ distinct elements.
Let $S_{(1)},S_{(2)},\dots,S_{(n)}$ be the sorted order of the elements in $S$.
Furthermore, ...
0
votes
1
answer
48
views
Dynamic programming and probability - list of problems
Does anyone have a list of problems where you have to combine dynamic programming with probability?
- 171
4
votes
1
answer
117
views
Probability of reaching a state in asymmetric random walk
Consider the following random walk:
Namely, if $S_i$ is the state at time $i$, then $\Pr(S_{i+1}=1|S_i=0)=1$, and for every $s>0$ we have
$$S_{i+1}|S_i=s=
\begin{cases}
s+1 & \text{w.p. }1-p\\
...
- 199
0
votes
1
answer
107
views
How to sample Bivariate Normal Distribution with Accept reject method
I have to write python code in jupyter due to sampling bivariate normal distribution with 3 sampling methods:
Prior Sampling
Gibbs Sampling
Rejection Sampling
I have done the first two samplings and ...
- 128
1
vote
0
answers
76
views
Concentration inequality of sum of geometric random variables taken to a power
Let $X_1, \cdots, X_n$ be $n$ independent geometric random variables with success probability parameter $p = 1/2$, where $X_i = j$ means it took $j$ trials to get the first success. Let $S_d = \sum_{i=...
- 443
0
votes
0
answers
288
views
Average number of comparisons for a successful search of a prime number in a binary search tree
A binary search tree is constructed by inserting the following value sequentially:
$$3, 9, 1, 6, 8, 7, 10, 4, 2, 5$$
Let $p_v$ be the probability to search for the value $v$ in the binary search tree (...
- 11
1
vote
0
answers
31
views
Why does attempting to estimate the entropy of text by randomly choosing chars in it and counting how often they are equal give wildly wrong results?
Why does attempting to estimate the entropy of a string, by randomly choosing pairs of (not necessarily adjacent) characters in it, and counting how often the selected characters in the pairs are ...
- 151
0
votes
1
answer
34
views
Distribution of $(X_1,X_2)$ if $X_1\pm X_2$ are two independent $N(1,4)$
$X_1+X_2$ and $X_1-X_2 $ are i.i.d. $N(1,4)$. What is the distribution of $X = (X_1,X_2)^T$?
I know i.i.d. is an independent and identically distributed random variable but I don't know how to use it ...
- 51
2
votes
1
answer
25
views
How Data Compression relates to Estimating Distribution?
I recently read this paper Mahoney, 1999.
And encountered this line,
optimal compression of a probabilistic language L with unknown distribution (such as English) using an estimated distribution M (...
- 131
1
vote
0
answers
17
views
Degree of regularity of a Markov chain
A Markov chain with transition matrix $P$ is termed regular if for some $n$, all entries of $P^n$ are positive.
Is there a known notion of degree of regularity quantified in terms of how soon all ...
- 183
3
votes
2
answers
174
views
Proving a certain hypothesis class on a given distribution is not learnable
I had this question in Learning theory, but it's really just a question in probability theory to be honest, so I'm gonna try to rephrase it in a way that really emphasizes what I was trying to do to ...
- 317