A high rectangle of width 2 is open from above, and the L-shaped domino falls inside it in a random way (see the figure).
a) \(k\) \(L\)-shaped dominoes have fallen. Find the mathematical expectation of the height of the resulting polygon.
b) \(7\) \(G\)-shaped dominoes fell inside the rectangle. Find the probability that the resulting figure will have a height of 12.
Author: A.K. Tolpygo
An irrational number \(\alpha\), where \(0 <\alpha <\frac 12\), is given. It defines a new number \(\alpha_1\) as the smaller of the two numbers \(2\alpha\) and \(1 - 2\alpha\). For this number, \(\alpha_2\) is determined similarly, and so on.
a) Prove that for some \(n\) the inequality \(\alpha_n <3/16\) holds.
b) Can it be that \(\alpha_n> 7/40\) for all positive integers \(n\)?
The numbers \(a_1, a_2, \dots , a_{1985}\) are the numbers \(1, 2, \dots , 1985\) rearranged in some order. Each number \(a_k\) is multiplied by its number \(k\), and then the largest number is chosen among the resulting 1985 products. Prove that it is not less than \(993^2\).
Prove that there is a number of the form
a) \(1989 \dots 19890 \dots 0\) (the number 1989 is repeated several times, and then there are a few zeros), which is divisible by 1988;
b) \(1988 \dots 1988\), which is divisible by 1989.
We can define the absolute value \(|x|\) of any real number \(x\) as follows. \(|x|=x\) if \(x\ge0\) and \(|x|=-x\) if \(x<0\). What are \(|3|\), \(|-4.3|\) and \(|0|\)?
Prove that \(|x|\ge0\).