A note on the closed-form solution for the longest head run problem of Abraham de Moivre

DOI10.1007/S00283-021-10125-2MaRDI QIDQ6169812zbMATH OpenOpenAlexFDO

Authors Yaakov Malinovsky

Publication date 12 July 2023

Published in The Mathematical Intelligencer (Search for Journal in Brave)

Full work available at URL https://arxiv.org/abs/2009.07765

Mathematics Subject Classification ID

History of probability theory (60-03)

Abstract: The problem of the longest head run was introduced and solved by Abraham de Moivre in the second edition of his book Doctrine of Chances (de Moivre, 1738). The closed-form solution as a finite sum involving binomial coefficients was provided in Uspensky (1937). Since then, the problem and its variations and extensions have found broad interest and diverse applications. Surprisingly, a very simple closed form can be obtained, which we present in this note.

Cites work

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