The best-choice secretary problem with random freeze on jobs (Q1346162)

A version of the best-choice secretary problem [see \textit{S. M. Samuels} in: Handbook of sequential analysis, 381-405, ed. by B. K. Ghosh and P. K. Sen (New York, 1991), for review of the problem] with a known number, \(n\), of applicants and a random, independent of the relative ranks moment \(M\) of termination of hiring, is considered. The goal is to choose the best among the \(n\) applicants based on relative ranks. The distribution of freeze variable \(M\) is assumed known. A necessary and sufficient condition for the threshold optimal rule is given. It is shown that for the uniform, geometric and Poisson freeze variables the optimal rules are threshold ones. Some asymptotic results (as \(n \to \infty)\) and minimax results are also discussed. The author presents an original approach to the best choice problem with a random number of applicants [cf. e.g. \textit{Eh. L. Presman} and \textit{I. M. Sonin}, Theory Probab. Appl. 17(1972), 657-668 (1973), translation from Teor. Veroyatn. Primen. 17, 695-706 (1972; Zbl 0296.60031) and \textit{A. Irle}, Z. Oper. Res., Ser. A 24, 177- 190 (1980; Zbl 0438.60038)].