olymmath

Putnam 2014 A4

  • Session A

Suppose XX is a random variable that takes on only nonnegative integer values, with E[X]=1E[X] = 1, E[X2]=2E[X^2] = 2, and E[X3]=5E[X^3] = 5. (Here E[Y]E[Y] denotes the expectation of the random variable YY.) Determine the smallest possible value of the probability of the event X=0X = 0.

Dataset text Putnam 1995 to 2025. Quoted with source.

Solutions

Human solution Solution 1 by Kiran Kedlaya and Lenny Ng

The terms of the source let olymmath link to this solution but not copy it. Read the solution (Kedlaya Putnam archive).

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