The Absent-Minded Passengers Problem via Computer Algebra
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Publication:6333130
arXiv2001.06839MaRDI QIDQ6333130
Shalosh B. XIV Ekhad, Doron Zeilberger
Publication date: 19 January 2020
Abstract: In a delightful article that recently appeared in the American Mathematics Monthly, Norbert Henze and Guenter Last discuss the "Absent-Minded Passengers" Problem, but left open finding an explicit expression for the probability generating function, of the random variable "Number of passengers occupying a wrong seat", when the number of absent-minded passengers is larger than one. This is accomplished in this note, using experimental mathematics and symbolic computation. We also derive explicit expressions for the first 8 moments of the original case of one absent-minded passenger, and indicate how to extend it to the general case
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