Let be a positive integer. Let be a random ordered triple of nonnegative integers such that , chosen uniformly at random from among all such triples. Let be the expected value (average value) of the largest of , , and . As approaches infinity, what value does approach?
Solution
1. Define the problem and variables:
We are given a positive integer and need to find the expected value of the largest of three nonnegative integers and such that . We are interested in the limit of as approaches infinity.
2. Count the number of ordered triples:
The number of ordered triples such that is given by the stars and bars theorem:
3. **Define :**
Let denote the number of ordered triples such that and .
4. **Symmetry and counting :**
By symmetry and the properties of the triangular array, we can determine for different ranges of :
- For , the values of depend on the residue of :
5. Expected value calculation:
To compute , we need to average the values of over all from to :
6. Simplify the sum:
Using the properties of binomial coefficients and the Hockey Stick Identity, we can simplify the sum:
7. Asymptotic behavior:
As approaches infinity, the floors and ceilings become negligible. We focus on the leading terms of the numerator and denominator:
8. Leading coefficients:
The leading third-degree coefficients of the numerator and the denominator determine the limit. After simplification, we find:
The final answer is