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arXiv · 1703.01886

On Von Schelling Formula for the Generalized Coupon Collector Problem

Christian Berthet
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Abstract

This paper gives an algebraic proof of the correctness of Von Schelling formula for the probability of the coupon collector problem waiting time for non-uniform distributions and partial collections. It introduces a theorem on sums of powers of subset probabilities which to our knowledge is new. A set of binomial coefficients is used as a basis for decomposition of these sums of powers.

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Christian Berthet. 2017-03-06. On Von Schelling Formula for the Generalized Coupon Collector Problem. https://arxiv.org/abs/1703.01886

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