1 .
Let $n$ and $k$ be integers such that $n$ is even, $n \geq 2$, and $1 \leq k \leq n$.
The Carleton Computer Science Society (CCSS) is having their annual
Christmas Holiday Season Party, which
is attended by $n$ students.
(a) |
$k$ of these $n$ students are politically correct and, thus, refuse to say Merry Christmas.
Instead, they say Happy Holidays.
|
(b) |
$n - k$ of these $n$ students do not care about political correctness and, thus, they say
Merry Christmas.
|
Consider a uniformly random permutation of these $n$ students. The positions in this permutation are numbered
as $1,2,...,n$.
Define the following random variable $X$:
- X = the number of positions $i$ with $1 \leq i \leq \left. n \middle/ 2 \right.$ such that both students at positions $i$ and $2i$ are politically correct.
What is the expected value $\mathbb{E}(X)$ of the random variable $X$?
Hint: Use indicator random variables.