olymmath

Putnam 2022 A4

  • Session A

Suppose that X1,X2,…X_1, X_2, \dots are real numbers between 0 and 1 that are chosen independently and uniformly at random. Let S=∑i=1kXi/2iS = \sum_{i=1}^k X_i/2^i, where kk is the least positive integer such that Xk<Xk+1X_k < X_{k+1}, or k=∞k = \infty if there is no such integer. Find the expected value of SS.

Curated text Kedlaya Putnam archive. Quoted with source.

Solutions

Human solution Solution 1 by Manjul Bhargava, 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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