In: Statistics and Probability
Question: A robot is given 1 random instruction every second for 10 seconds. Each
instruction will be either a command to move 1 inch to the left, or 1 inch
to the right. The likelihoods of the instruction being a command to move
to the left and right are 'p' and '1-p', respectively.
Find:
a) What is the expectation of the robot's final position with respect
to its starting position.
b) What is the variance we might expect for observations of the
robot's final position?
c) For what value(s) of 'p' is this variance greatest?
d) For what value(s) of 'p' is the expectation of net distance traveled greatest?
e) For what value(s) of 'p' is the total number of inches moved greatest?