| The collector's brotherhood problem using the Newman-Shepp symbolic method (2008) | |||||||||||||||
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| Abstract. Further computations are made on the traditional coupon collector’s problem when the collector shares his harvest with his younger brothers. When the book of the p-th brother of the collector is completed, the books of the younger brothers have certain numbers of empty spots. On the average, how many? Several answers can be brought to that question. 1. Introduction. This paper on the traditional and recurrent Collector’s Problem, that uses the Newman-Shepp method, one of those symbolic approaches dear to Gian-Carlo Rota, is dedicated to his memory. Suppose that m different coupons are needed for a collector, to complete his picture-book. Each time, that is, at each purchase, he can get a given | |||||||||||||||
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