<< Chapter < Page Chapter >> Page >
A variety of mathematical aids to probability analysis and calculations.

Series

  • Geometric series From the expression ( 1 - r ) ( 1 + r + r 2 + . . . + r n ) = 1 - r n + 1 , we obtain
    k = 0 n r k = 1 - r n + 1 1 - r for r 1
    For | r | < 1 , these sums converge to the geometric series k = 0 r k = 1 1 - r
    Differentiation yields the following two useful series:
    k = 1 k r k - 1 = 1 ( 1 - r ) 2 for | r | < 1 and k = 2 k ( k - 1 ) r k - 2 = 2 ( 1 - r ) 3 for | r | < 1
    For the finite sum, differentiation and algebraic manipulation yields
    k = 0 n k r k - 1 = 1 - r n [ 1 + n ( 1 - r ) ] ( 1 - r ) 2 which converges to 1 ( 1 - r ) 2 for | r | < 1
  • Exponential series . e x = k = 0 x k k ! and e - x = k = 0 ( - 1 ) k x k k ! for any x
    Simple algebraic manipulation yields the following equalities usefulfor the Poisson distribution:
    k = n k x k k ! = x k = n - 1 x k k ! and k = n k ( k - 1 ) x k k ! = x 2 k = n - 2 x k k !
  • Sums of powers of integers i = 1 n i = n ( n + 1 ) 2 i = 1 n i 2 = n ( n + 1 ) ( 2 n + 1 ) 6

Some useful integrals

  • The gamma function Γ ( r ) = 0 t r - 1 e - t d t for r > 0
    Integration by parts shows Γ ( r ) = ( r - 1 ) Γ ( r - 1 ) for r > 1
    By induction Γ ( r ) = ( r - 1 ) ( r - 2 ) ( r - k ) Γ ( r - k ) for r > k
    For a positive integer n , Γ ( n ) = ( n - 1 ) ! with Γ ( 1 ) = 0 ! = 1
  • By a change of variable in the gamma integral, we obtain
    0 t r e - λ t d t = Γ ( r + 1 ) λ r + 1 r > - 1 , λ > 0
  • A well known indefinite integral gives
    a t e - λ t d t = 1 λ 2 e - λ a ( 1 + λ a ) and a t 2 e - λ a t d t = 1 λ 3 e - λ a [ 1 + λ a + ( λ a ) 2 / 2 ]
    For any positive integer m ,
    a t m e - λ t d t = m ! λ m + 1 e - λ a 1 + λ a + ( λ a ) 2 2 ! + + ( λ a ) m m !
  • The following integrals are important for the Beta distribution.
    0 1 u r ( 1 - u ) s d u = Γ ( r + 1 ) Γ ( s + 1 ) Γ ( r + s + 2 ) r > - 1 , s > - 1
    For nonnegative integers m , n 0 1 u m ( 1 - u ) n d u = m ! n ! ( m + n + 1 ) !

Some basic counting problems

We consider three basic counting problems, which are used repeatedly as components of more complex problems. The first two, arrangements and occupancy are equivalent. The third is a basic matching problem.

  1. Arrangements of r objects selected from among n distinguishable objects.
    1. The order is significant.
    2. The order is irrelevant.
    For each of these, we consider two additional alternative conditions.
    1. No element may be selected more than once.
    2. Repitition is allowed.
  2. Occupancy of n distinct cells by r objects. These objects are
    1. Distinguishable.
    2. Indistinguishable.
    The occupancy may be
    1. Exclusive.
    2. Nonexclusive (i.e., more than one object per cell)

    The results in the four cases may be summarized as follows:

      1. Ordered arrangements, without repetition ( permutations ). Distinguishable objects, exclusive occupancy.
        P ( n , r ) = n ! ( n - r ) !
      2. Ordered arrangements, with repitition allowed. Distinguishable objects, nonexclusive occupancy.
        U ( n , r ) = n r
      1. Arrangements without repetition, order irrelevant ( combinations ). Indistinguishable objects, exclusive occupancy.
        C ( n , r ) = n ! r ! ( n - r ) ! = P ( n , r ) r !
      2. Unordered arrangements, with repetition. Indistinguishable objects, nonexclusive occupancy.
        S ( n , r ) = C ( n + r - 1 , r )
  3. Matching n distinguishable elements to a fixed order. Let M ( n , k ) be the number of permutations which give k matches.

n = 5

Natural order 1 2 3 4 5

Permutation 3 2 5 4 1 (Two matches– positions 2, 4)

We reduce the problem to determining m ( n , 0 ) , as follows:

  1. Select k places for matches in C ( n , k ) ways.
  2. Order the n - k remaining elements so that no matches in the other n - k places.
    M ( n , k ) = C ( n , k ) M ( n - k , 0 )
    Some algebraic trickery shows that M ( n , 0 ) is the integer nearest n ! / e . These are easily calculated by the MATLAB command M = round(gamma(n+1)/exp(1)) For example >>M = round(gamma([3:10]+1)/exp(1));>>disp([3:6;M(1:4);7:10;M(5:8)]')3 2 7 1854 4 9 8 148335 44 9 133496 6 265 10 1334961

Extended binomial coefficients and the binomial series

  • The ordinary binomial coefficient is C ( n , k ) = n ! k ! ( n - k ) ! for integers n > 0 , 0 k n
    For any real x , any integer k , we extend the definition by
    C ( x , 0 ) = 1 , C ( x , k ) = 0 for k < 0 , and C ( n , k ) = 0 for a positive integer k > n
    and
    C ( x , k ) = x ( x - 1 ) ( x - 2 ) ( x - k + 1 ) k ! otherwise
    Then Pascal's relation holds: C ( x , k ) = C ( x - 1 , k - 1 ) + C ( x - 1 , k )
    The power series expansion about t = 0 shows
    ( 1 + t ) x = 1 + C ( x , 1 ) t + C ( x , 2 ) t 2 + x , - 1 < t < 1
    For x = n , a positive integer, the series becomes a polynomial of degree n .

Cauchy's equation

  1. Let f be a real-valued function defined on ( 0 , ) , such that
    1. f ( t + u ) = f ( t ) + f ( u ) for t , u > 0 , and
    2. There is an open interval I on which f is bounded above (or is bounded below).
    Then f ( t ) = f ( 1 ) t t > 0
  2. Let f be a real-valued function defined on ( 0 , ) such that
    1. f ( t + u ) = f ( t ) f ( u ) t , u > 0 , and
    2. There is an interval on which f is bounded above.
    Then, either f ( t ) = 0 for t > 0 , or there is a constant a such that f ( t ) = e a t for t > 0

[For a proof, see Billingsley, Probability and Measure , second edition, appendix A20]

Countable and uncountable sets

A set (or class) is countable iff either it is finite or its members can be put into a one-to-one correspondence with the natural numbers.

    Examples

  • The set of odd integers is countable.
  • The finite set { n : 1 n 1000 } is countable.
  • The set of all rational numbers is countable. (This is established by an argument known as diagonalization).
  • The set of pairs of elements from two countable sets is countable.
  • The union of a countable class of countable sets is countable.

A set is uncountable iff it is neither finite nor can be put into a one-to-one correspondence with the natural numbers.

    Examples

  • The class of positive real numbers is uncountable. A well known operation shows that the assumption of countability leads to a contradiction.
  • The set of real numbers in any finite interval is uncountable, since these can be put into a one-to-one correspondence of the class of all positive reals.

Questions & Answers

A golfer on a fairway is 70 m away from the green, which sits below the level of the fairway by 20 m. If the golfer hits the ball at an angle of 40° with an initial speed of 20 m/s, how close to the green does she come?
Aislinn Reply
cm
tijani
what is titration
John Reply
what is physics
Siyaka Reply
A mouse of mass 200 g falls 100 m down a vertical mine shaft and lands at the bottom with a speed of 8.0 m/s. During its fall, how much work is done on the mouse by air resistance
Jude Reply
Can you compute that for me. Ty
Jude
what is the dimension formula of energy?
David Reply
what is viscosity?
David
what is inorganic
emma Reply
what is chemistry
Youesf Reply
what is inorganic
emma
Chemistry is a branch of science that deals with the study of matter,it composition,it structure and the changes it undergoes
Adjei
please, I'm a physics student and I need help in physics
Adjanou
chemistry could also be understood like the sexual attraction/repulsion of the male and female elements. the reaction varies depending on the energy differences of each given gender. + masculine -female.
Pedro
A ball is thrown straight up.it passes a 2.0m high window 7.50 m off the ground on it path up and takes 1.30 s to go past the window.what was the ball initial velocity
Krampah Reply
2. A sled plus passenger with total mass 50 kg is pulled 20 m across the snow (0.20) at constant velocity by a force directed 25° above the horizontal. Calculate (a) the work of the applied force, (b) the work of friction, and (c) the total work.
Sahid Reply
you have been hired as an espert witness in a court case involving an automobile accident. the accident involved car A of mass 1500kg which crashed into stationary car B of mass 1100kg. the driver of car A applied his brakes 15 m before he skidded and crashed into car B. after the collision, car A s
Samuel Reply
can someone explain to me, an ignorant high school student, why the trend of the graph doesn't follow the fact that the higher frequency a sound wave is, the more power it is, hence, making me think the phons output would follow this general trend?
Joseph Reply
Nevermind i just realied that the graph is the phons output for a person with normal hearing and not just the phons output of the sound waves power, I should read the entire thing next time
Joseph
Follow up question, does anyone know where I can find a graph that accuretly depicts the actual relative "power" output of sound over its frequency instead of just humans hearing
Joseph
"Generation of electrical energy from sound energy | IEEE Conference Publication | IEEE Xplore" ***ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/7150687?reload=true
Ryan
what's motion
Maurice Reply
what are the types of wave
Maurice
answer
Magreth
progressive wave
Magreth
hello friend how are you
Muhammad Reply
fine, how about you?
Mohammed
hi
Mujahid
A string is 3.00 m long with a mass of 5.00 g. The string is held taut with a tension of 500.00 N applied to the string. A pulse is sent down the string. How long does it take the pulse to travel the 3.00 m of the string?
yasuo Reply
Who can show me the full solution in this problem?
Reofrir Reply
Got questions? Join the online conversation and get instant answers!
Jobilize.com Reply

Get Jobilize Job Search Mobile App in your pocket Now!

Get it on Google Play Download on the App Store Now




Source:  OpenStax, Engr 2113 ece math. OpenStax CNX. Aug 27, 2010 Download for free at http://cnx.org/content/col11224/1.1
Google Play and the Google Play logo are trademarks of Google Inc.

Notification Switch

Would you like to follow the 'Engr 2113 ece math' conversation and receive update notifications?

Ask