Timeline for A random walk with uniformly distributed steps
Current License: CC BY-SA 3.0
8 events
| when toggle format | what | by | license | comment | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 17, 2012 at 22:09 | comment | added | Barry Cipra | Although (or maybe because) Jeremy's integral, generalized in the obvious way, doesn't answer the original problem, it's of interest to ask what sequence of fractions it does produce. It's hard to tell from the numbers 1/2, 3/8, 1/3, but Paul Zorn has kindly calculated the next three cases, obtaining 125/384, 27/80, and 16807/46080, from which it's fairly easy to guess a general answer. (I don't have a proof. Also, I'm leaving my guess unstated in case anyone wants to amuse themselves by ignoring Paul's numbers and seeing if indeed the numbers 1/2, 3/8, 1/3 suggest anything obvious.) | |
| Apr 17, 2012 at 20:33 | history | edited | Jeremy Voltz | CC BY-SA 3.0 |
Acknowledging mistake
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| Apr 17, 2012 at 17:58 | comment | added | Gerhard Paseman | You should be able to edit the answer and point out the mistake. Gerhard "Ask Me About System Design" Paseman, 2012.04.17 | |
| Apr 16, 2012 at 22:08 | comment | added | Jeremy Voltz | Robert and Johan, thanks for the error check, I see the problem. As Johan said, I will leave this up for people to see the mistake and avoid it. | |
| Apr 16, 2012 at 22:03 | comment | added | Johan Wästlund | ...in other words I agree with what Robert Israel just said. | |
| Apr 16, 2012 at 21:59 | comment | added | Johan Wästlund | The mistake is that on the third line, $z$ should not necessarily go from $-(x+y)$ to 1. If $x+y>1$, $z$ goes only from $-1$ to 1. You should not feel too embarrassed to have made a mistake. Leaving the answer might help others avoid the same confusion. | |
| Apr 16, 2012 at 21:55 | comment | added | Robert Israel | Yes, this is wrong. $z$ should go from $\max(-1,-(x+y))$ to $1$, not from $-(x+y)$ to $1$. | |
| Apr 16, 2012 at 19:49 | history | answered | Jeremy Voltz | CC BY-SA 3.0 |