Let Xn, . . . ,X1 be i.i.d. random variables with distribution function F. A statistician, knowing F, observes the X values sequentially and is given two chances to choose X’s using stopping rules. The statistician’s goal is to stop at a value of X as small as possible. Let V^2 equal the...

Let X_i be nonnegative independent random variables with finite expectations and X^*_n = max {X_1, ..., X_n}. The value EX^*_n is what can be obtained by a ``prophet". A ``mortal" on the other hand, may use k = 1 stopping rules t_1, ..., t_k yielding a return E[max_{i=1, ..., k} X_{t_i}]. For n...

A problem of optimally allocating partially effective ammunition x to be used on randomly arriving enemies in order to maximize an aircraft's probability of surviving for time t, known as the Bomber Problem, was first posed by Klinger and Brown (1968). They conjectured a set of apparently...

Asymptotic results for the problem of optimal two choice stopping on an n element long i.i.d. sequence X<SUB>n</SUB>, . . . ,X<SUB>1</SUB> have previously been obtained for two of the three domains of attraction. An asymptotic result is proved for the exponential distribution, a representative from the remaining,...</sub></sub>

We study a class of optimal allocation problems, including the well-known Bomber Problem, with the following common probabilistic structure. An aircraft equipped with an amount x of ammunition is intercepted by enemy airplanes arriving according to a homogenous Poisson process over a fixed time...

We consider a permutation method for testing whether observations given in their natural pairing exhibit an unusual level of similarity in situations where any two observations may be similar at some unknown baseline level. Under a null hypothesis where there is no distinguished pairing of the...

The inequality conjectured by van den Berg and Kesten in [9], and proved by Reimer in [6], states that for A and B events on S, a product of finitely many finite sets, and P any product measure on S,P(AÊB) <FONT FACE="Symbol">£</FONT> P(A)P(B), where AÊB are the elementary events which lie in both A and B for `disjoint...</font>

We compare estimators of the (essential) supremum and the integral of a function f defined on a measurable space when f may be observed at a sample of points in its domain, possibly with error. The estimators compared vary in their levels of stratification of the domain, with the result that...

We consider a sequential rule, where an item is chosen into the group, such as a university faculty member, only if his score is better than the average score of those already belonging to the group. We study four variables: The average score of the members of the group after k items have been...

A new Secretary Problem is considered, where for fixed k and m one wins if at some time i = m(j .. 1) + 1 up to jm one selects one of the j best items among the first jm items, j = 1,...,k. Selection is based on relative ranks only. Interest lies in small k values, such as k = 2 or 3. This is...