Problem #PRU-65343

Problems Probability and statistics Probability theory Conditional probability Discrete distribution Algebra and arithmetic Mean values

Problem

\(N\) pairs of socks hang on a washing line in a random order (the order in which they were taken out of the washing machine). There are no two identical pairs. The socks hang under the drying sheet, so the Scattered Scientist takes out one toe by touch and compares each new sock with all of the previous ones. Find the mathematical expectation of the number of socks taken at the moment when the Scientist will have some pair.