Finding Probability of identical and distinct objects
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10 objects are to be distributed among 10 people randomly. What is the probability that at least one of them will get nothing?
Now, I had thought of two ways of doing it:
I assumed here objects to be identical.
Hence total number of ways in which 10 objects would be distributed among 10 people is $frac{19!}{9!10!}$.
Further, the total number of ways equals every one gets something + at least one gets nothing.
And, there is only one way in which every one gets something.
Hence the number of ways in which at least one person gets nothing is $frac{19!}{9!10!} - 1$.
The required probability thus equals:
$frac{frac{19!}{9!10!} - 1}{frac{19!}{9!10!}}$.I assumed all objects to be distinct.
Hence number of total ways is $10^{10}$.
Also, total ways = every one gets something + at least one gets nothing.
Further, every one gets something in 10! Ways.
Hence, number of ways in which at least one gets nothing = 10^10-10!.
Hence the required probability is:
$frac{10^{10}-10!}{10^{10}}$.
The problem is that my answers are different for these two methods.
I strongly feel that the answer should be same irrespective of whether they are distinct or identical. How and where am I going wrong? Why is the probability of quantity dependent on the quality of the objects?
probability probability-theory probability-distributions
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add a comment |
$begingroup$
10 objects are to be distributed among 10 people randomly. What is the probability that at least one of them will get nothing?
Now, I had thought of two ways of doing it:
I assumed here objects to be identical.
Hence total number of ways in which 10 objects would be distributed among 10 people is $frac{19!}{9!10!}$.
Further, the total number of ways equals every one gets something + at least one gets nothing.
And, there is only one way in which every one gets something.
Hence the number of ways in which at least one person gets nothing is $frac{19!}{9!10!} - 1$.
The required probability thus equals:
$frac{frac{19!}{9!10!} - 1}{frac{19!}{9!10!}}$.I assumed all objects to be distinct.
Hence number of total ways is $10^{10}$.
Also, total ways = every one gets something + at least one gets nothing.
Further, every one gets something in 10! Ways.
Hence, number of ways in which at least one gets nothing = 10^10-10!.
Hence the required probability is:
$frac{10^{10}-10!}{10^{10}}$.
The problem is that my answers are different for these two methods.
I strongly feel that the answer should be same irrespective of whether they are distinct or identical. How and where am I going wrong? Why is the probability of quantity dependent on the quality of the objects?
probability probability-theory probability-distributions
$endgroup$
add a comment |
$begingroup$
10 objects are to be distributed among 10 people randomly. What is the probability that at least one of them will get nothing?
Now, I had thought of two ways of doing it:
I assumed here objects to be identical.
Hence total number of ways in which 10 objects would be distributed among 10 people is $frac{19!}{9!10!}$.
Further, the total number of ways equals every one gets something + at least one gets nothing.
And, there is only one way in which every one gets something.
Hence the number of ways in which at least one person gets nothing is $frac{19!}{9!10!} - 1$.
The required probability thus equals:
$frac{frac{19!}{9!10!} - 1}{frac{19!}{9!10!}}$.I assumed all objects to be distinct.
Hence number of total ways is $10^{10}$.
Also, total ways = every one gets something + at least one gets nothing.
Further, every one gets something in 10! Ways.
Hence, number of ways in which at least one gets nothing = 10^10-10!.
Hence the required probability is:
$frac{10^{10}-10!}{10^{10}}$.
The problem is that my answers are different for these two methods.
I strongly feel that the answer should be same irrespective of whether they are distinct or identical. How and where am I going wrong? Why is the probability of quantity dependent on the quality of the objects?
probability probability-theory probability-distributions
$endgroup$
10 objects are to be distributed among 10 people randomly. What is the probability that at least one of them will get nothing?
Now, I had thought of two ways of doing it:
I assumed here objects to be identical.
Hence total number of ways in which 10 objects would be distributed among 10 people is $frac{19!}{9!10!}$.
Further, the total number of ways equals every one gets something + at least one gets nothing.
And, there is only one way in which every one gets something.
Hence the number of ways in which at least one person gets nothing is $frac{19!}{9!10!} - 1$.
The required probability thus equals:
$frac{frac{19!}{9!10!} - 1}{frac{19!}{9!10!}}$.I assumed all objects to be distinct.
Hence number of total ways is $10^{10}$.
Also, total ways = every one gets something + at least one gets nothing.
Further, every one gets something in 10! Ways.
Hence, number of ways in which at least one gets nothing = 10^10-10!.
Hence the required probability is:
$frac{10^{10}-10!}{10^{10}}$.
The problem is that my answers are different for these two methods.
I strongly feel that the answer should be same irrespective of whether they are distinct or identical. How and where am I going wrong? Why is the probability of quantity dependent on the quality of the objects?
probability probability-theory probability-distributions
probability probability-theory probability-distributions
edited Feb 2 at 10:40
jvdhooft
5,65961641
5,65961641
asked Feb 2 at 10:04


Yashkalp SharmaYashkalp Sharma
82
82
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1 Answer
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$begingroup$
The probability of at least one of the people getting nothing, equals 1 minus the probability of all of them getting something. There are $10^{10}$ equally likely ways to distribute the objects, and only $10!$ valid ways in which this can be done. We indeed find:
$$1 - frac{10!}{10^{10}}$$
The problem with your other approach, is that the probabilities of the ${19 choose 9}$ possible combinations are not the same. For instance, the probability of all gifts being given to the first person equals $frac{1}{10^{10}}$, while the probability of each person getting something equals $frac{10!}{10^{10}}$.
To make this more tangible, try doing the same for two people and two objects. The probability of the first person getting both items equals $left(frac{1}{2}right)^2 = frac{1}{4}$, while the probability of both people getting one object equals $1 cdot frac{1}{2} = frac{1}{2}$. Indeed, the probabilities of the three possible combinations are not the same.
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1 Answer
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1 Answer
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active
oldest
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votes
$begingroup$
The probability of at least one of the people getting nothing, equals 1 minus the probability of all of them getting something. There are $10^{10}$ equally likely ways to distribute the objects, and only $10!$ valid ways in which this can be done. We indeed find:
$$1 - frac{10!}{10^{10}}$$
The problem with your other approach, is that the probabilities of the ${19 choose 9}$ possible combinations are not the same. For instance, the probability of all gifts being given to the first person equals $frac{1}{10^{10}}$, while the probability of each person getting something equals $frac{10!}{10^{10}}$.
To make this more tangible, try doing the same for two people and two objects. The probability of the first person getting both items equals $left(frac{1}{2}right)^2 = frac{1}{4}$, while the probability of both people getting one object equals $1 cdot frac{1}{2} = frac{1}{2}$. Indeed, the probabilities of the three possible combinations are not the same.
$endgroup$
add a comment |
$begingroup$
The probability of at least one of the people getting nothing, equals 1 minus the probability of all of them getting something. There are $10^{10}$ equally likely ways to distribute the objects, and only $10!$ valid ways in which this can be done. We indeed find:
$$1 - frac{10!}{10^{10}}$$
The problem with your other approach, is that the probabilities of the ${19 choose 9}$ possible combinations are not the same. For instance, the probability of all gifts being given to the first person equals $frac{1}{10^{10}}$, while the probability of each person getting something equals $frac{10!}{10^{10}}$.
To make this more tangible, try doing the same for two people and two objects. The probability of the first person getting both items equals $left(frac{1}{2}right)^2 = frac{1}{4}$, while the probability of both people getting one object equals $1 cdot frac{1}{2} = frac{1}{2}$. Indeed, the probabilities of the three possible combinations are not the same.
$endgroup$
add a comment |
$begingroup$
The probability of at least one of the people getting nothing, equals 1 minus the probability of all of them getting something. There are $10^{10}$ equally likely ways to distribute the objects, and only $10!$ valid ways in which this can be done. We indeed find:
$$1 - frac{10!}{10^{10}}$$
The problem with your other approach, is that the probabilities of the ${19 choose 9}$ possible combinations are not the same. For instance, the probability of all gifts being given to the first person equals $frac{1}{10^{10}}$, while the probability of each person getting something equals $frac{10!}{10^{10}}$.
To make this more tangible, try doing the same for two people and two objects. The probability of the first person getting both items equals $left(frac{1}{2}right)^2 = frac{1}{4}$, while the probability of both people getting one object equals $1 cdot frac{1}{2} = frac{1}{2}$. Indeed, the probabilities of the three possible combinations are not the same.
$endgroup$
The probability of at least one of the people getting nothing, equals 1 minus the probability of all of them getting something. There are $10^{10}$ equally likely ways to distribute the objects, and only $10!$ valid ways in which this can be done. We indeed find:
$$1 - frac{10!}{10^{10}}$$
The problem with your other approach, is that the probabilities of the ${19 choose 9}$ possible combinations are not the same. For instance, the probability of all gifts being given to the first person equals $frac{1}{10^{10}}$, while the probability of each person getting something equals $frac{10!}{10^{10}}$.
To make this more tangible, try doing the same for two people and two objects. The probability of the first person getting both items equals $left(frac{1}{2}right)^2 = frac{1}{4}$, while the probability of both people getting one object equals $1 cdot frac{1}{2} = frac{1}{2}$. Indeed, the probabilities of the three possible combinations are not the same.
edited Feb 2 at 10:42
answered Feb 2 at 10:36
jvdhooftjvdhooft
5,65961641
5,65961641
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