Related papers: The equalization probability of the Polya urn

We consider $n$-sided dice whose face values lie between $1$ and $n$ and whose faces sum to $n(n+1)/2$. For two dice $A$ and $B$, define $A \succ B$ if it is more likely for $A$ to show a higher face than $B$. Suppose $k$ such dice…

Consider a generalized time-dependent P\'olya urn process defined as follows. Let $d\in \mathbb{N}$ be the number of urns/colors. At each time $n$, we distribute $\sigma_n$ balls randomly to the $d$ urns, proportionally to $f$, where $f$ is…

In this paper we consider a scenario where there are several algorithms for solving a given problem. Each algorithm is associated with a probability of success and a cost, and there is also a penalty for failing to solve the problem. The…

We review some facts, properties and applications of the urn of Hill, Lane and Sudderth, a paradigmatic model of stochastic process with memory where the urn evolution is as follows: consider an urn of given capacity, at each step a new…

The paper considers urn schemes in which several urns can be involved. Simplified formulas are proposed that allow direct calculation of probabilities without the use of elements combinatorics.

We consider a two-color P\'{o}lya urn in the case when a fixed number $S$ of balls is added at each step. Assume it is a large urn that is, the second eigenvalue $m$ of the replacement matrix satisfies $1/2<m/S\leq1$. After $n$ drawings,…

Suppose we sequentially put $n$ balls into $n$ bins. If we put each ball into a random bin then the heaviest bin will contain ${\sim}\log n/\log\log n$ balls with high probability. However, Azar, Broder, Karlin and Upfal [SIAM J. Comput. 29…

We discuss several coin-weighing problems in which coins are known to be of three different weights and only a balance scale can be used. We start with the task of sorting coins when the pans of the scale can fit only one coin. We prove…

Balanced knockout tournaments are ubiquitous in sports competitions and are also used in decision-making and elections. The traditional computational question, that asks to compute a draw (optimal draw) that maximizes the winning…

We construct irreducible balanced non-transitive sets of $n$-sided dice for any positive integer $n$, which was raised in \cite[Question 5.2]{SS17}. One main tool of the construction is to study so-called fair sets of dice. Furthermore, we…

Consider an urn model where at each step one of $q$ colors is sampled according to some probability distribution and a ball of that color is placed in an urn. The distribution of assigning balls to urns may depend on the color of the ball.…

We study a problem related to coin flipping, coding theory, and noise sensitivity. Consider a source of truly random bits $x \in \bits^n$, and $k$ parties, who have noisy versions of the source bits $y^i \in \bits^n$, where for all $i$ and…

Let $\alpha=0.a_1a_2a_3\ldots$ be an irrational number in base $b>1$, where $0\leq a_i<b$. The number $\alpha \in (0,1)$ is a \textit{normal number} if every block $(a_{n+1}a_{n+2}\ldots a_{n+k})$ of $k$ digits occurs with probability…

We consider an urn model with multiple drawing and random time-dependent addition matrix. The model is very general with respect to previous literature: the number of sampled balls at each time-step is random, the addition matrix has…

A classical result of K. L. Chung and W. Feller deals with the partial sums $S_k$ arising in a fair coin-tossing game. If $N_n$ is the number of "positive" terms among $S_1, S_2,\dots,S_n$ then the quantity $P(N_{2n}=2r)$ takes an elegant…

In this paper we consider a sequence of n coin tosses, whose outcome depends on the previous n-1 tosses. In particular, their distribution is not i.i.d. We compute the limiting distribution of this sequence using the method of images.

In this paper, we study a game with positive or plus infinite expectation and determine the optimal proportion of investment for maximizing the limit expectation of growth rate per attempt. With this objective, we introduce a new pricing…

Randomness is a central concept to statistics and physics. Here, a statistical analysis shows experimental evidence that tossing coins and finding last digits of prime numbers are identical regarding statistics for equally likely outcomes.…

This article describes a purely analytic approach to urn models of the generalized or extended P\'olya-Eggenberger type, in the case of two types of balls and constant ``balance,'' that is, constant row sum. The treatment starts from a…

We consider triangular P\'olya urns and show under very weak conditions a general strong limit theorem of the form $X_{ni}/a_{ni}\to \mathcal{X}_i$ a.s., where $X_{ni}$ is the number of balls of colour $i$ after $n$ draws; the constants…