Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 exptools 1/6/84; site ihuxq.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!mhuxl!ihnp4!ihuxq!ken From: ken@ihuxq.UUCP (ken perlow) Newsgroups: net.math Subject: Yet another probability puzzle Message-ID: <703@ihuxq.UUCP> Date: Thu, 23-Feb-84 13:57:29 EST Article-I.D.: ihuxq.703 Posted: Thu Feb 23 13:57:29 1984 Date-Received: Fri, 24-Feb-84 02:18:51 EST Organization: AT&T Bell Labs, Naperville, IL Lines: 18 What is the expected value of the range of N random points on a line from 0 to 1? I think that's a concise statement of the problem. To avoid ambiguity (I'm not a mathematician), I'll restate it as I conceived it: You have this (finite) 1-dimensional dart board at which you throw random darts. What is the expected dispersion of N darts if they must all hit the board, but any point within is equally probable? I believe this problem is related to Chris Scussel's puzzle about cutting the correct lengths from 1 chain for N jobs about which you have no information, but I don't know why. -- *** *** JE MAINTIENDRAI ***** ***** ****** ****** 23 Feb 84 [4 Ventose An CXCII] ken perlow ***** ***** (312)979-7261 ** ** ** ** ..ihnp4!ihuxq!ken *** ***