Shortest and longest length of success runs in binary sequences (Q2455709)

Consider a sequence of \(n\) two state (success-failure) trials, arranged on a line or on a circle. A success run is defined as a sequence of consecutive successes preceded and succeeded by failure or by the beginning or by the end of a complete sequence. The number of successes in a success run is referred to as its length. In this article the shortest and the longest length statistics of success runs that appear in binary sequences are considered. Exact probabilities of the statistics are derived by means of combinatorial analysis and via recursive relations. The joint probability distribution function and the joint cumulative distribution function of foregoing length statistics are also obtained both for the linear and the circular case, in terms of binomial coefficients. [Related papers: \textit{J. C. Fu, L. I. Wang} and \textit{W. Y. W. Lou}, J. Appl. Probab. 40, 346--360 (2003; Zbl 1028.60068); \textit{E. Vaggelatou}, Stat. Probab. Lett. 62, 211--221 (2003; Zbl 1116.60344).]