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Introduction to Sequences, Probability and Counting Theory
Introduction to Sequences, Probability and Counting Theory — from OpenStax Precalculus 2e.
Introduction to Sequences, Probability and Counting Theory
A lottery winner has some big decisions to make regarding what to do with the winnings. Buy a new home? A luxury convertible? A cruise around the world?
The likelihood of winning the lottery is slim, but we all love to fantasize about what we could buy with the winnings. One of the first things a lottery winner has to decide is whether to take the winnings in the form of a lump sum or as a series of regular payments, called an annuity, over an extended period of time.
This decision is often based on many factors, such as tax implications, interest rates, and investment strategies. There are also personal reasons to consider when making the choice, and one can make many arguments for either decision. However, most lottery winners opt for the lump sum.
In this chapter, we will explore the mathematics behind situations such as these. We will take an in-depth look at annuities. We will also look at the branch of mathematics that would allow us to calculate the number of ways to choose lottery numbers and the probability of winning.
Introduction to Sequences, Probability and Counting Theory
A lottery winner has some big decisions to make regarding what to do with the winnings. Buy a new home? A luxury convertible? A cruise around the world?
The likelihood of winning the lottery is slim, but we all love to fantasize about what we could buy with the winnings. One of the first things a lottery winner has to decide is whether to take the winnings in the form of a lump sum or as a series of regular payments, called an annuity, over an extended period of time.
This decision is often based on many factors, such as tax implications, interest rates, and investment strategies. There are also personal reasons to consider when making the choice, and one can make many arguments for either decision. However, most lottery winners opt for the lump sum.
In this chapter, we will explore the mathematics behind situations such as these. We will take an in-depth look at annuities. We will also look at the branch of mathematics that would allow us to calculate the number of ways to choose lottery numbers and the probability of winning.
Symbols used here
Distance from zero: |−3| = 3. For a complex number, distance from the origin.
Number of k-element subsets of n things: n!/(k!(n−k)!).
Ratio of a circle's circumference to its diameter, 3.14159…
2.71828…, the base whose exponential is its own derivative.
i² = −1.
The usual name for an angle.
The exponent b must be raised to for x; ln uses base e.
A quantity with magnitude and direction; a column of numbers.
Questions people ask
What is a function, really?
A rule that assigns exactly one output to each input. The vertical-line test on a graph is the same idea: no input may have two outputs.
Why do we need complex numbers?
Because x² + 1 = 0 has no real solution, and allowing one new number i with i² = −1 makes every polynomial equation solvable. They then turn out to describe rotation, waves and alternating current more naturally than real numbers do.
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Parts of this page are adapted from OpenStax College Algebra 2e (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0), OpenStax Precalculus 2e (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0). Condensed and re-explained here; errors are ours.
Više u Precalculus
Complex numbersPolynomial functionsRational functionsSequences and seriesThe binomial theoremConic sectionsVectorsExponential and logarithmic functionsPolynomial division and the remainder theoremParametric equations and polar coordinates