Guest Session: 1 Question Remaining. Create Account to save progress.
Login
Recursionhard
0:00.0

In the Gambler's Ruin problem, the probability P(k)P(k)P(k) of reaching nnn dollars (winning) before going broke (reaching $0), starting from kkk dollars, satisfies: P(k)=12P(k−1)+12P(k+1)P(k) = \frac{1}{2}P(k-1) + \frac{1}{2}P(k+1)P(k)=21​P(k−1)+21​P(k+1) with boundary conditions P(0)=0P(0) = 0P(0)=0 and P(n)=1P(n) = 1P(n)=1. This rearranges to the linear recurrence P(k+1)−2P(k)+P(k−1)=0P(k+1) - 2P(k) + P(k-1) = 0P(k+1)−2P(k)+P(k−1)=0. Which is the closed form for P(k)P(k)P(k)?