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[SOLVED] Birthdays in the Same Month
How many people have to be in a room in order that the probability that at least two of them celebrate their birthday in the same month is at least 1/2? Assume that all possible monthly outcomes are equally likely.
Axioms and basic theorems of probability.
Let E_n be the event that at least two of n people in a room celebrate their birthday in the same month. I'm basically asked to determine the value of n for which P(E_n) >= 1/2.
It must be easier to calculate the complement of E_n, ~E_n, and from that calculate P(E_n). Note that ~E_n is the event that nobody celebrates their birthday in the same month.
Now, ~E_n is the union of the events that nobody celebrates their birthday in the ith month of the year, which I will call F_i, i = 1 to 12. Since the F_i's are mutually exclusive, P(~E_n) = P(F_1) + ... + P(F_12).
If month j has d days, then P(F_j) = (365 - d)^n / 365^n. For months 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 10, 12 d = 31, for months 4, 6, 9, 11 d = 30, and for month 2 d = 28 (assuming no leap years).
So P(~E_n) = 7 * 334^n / 365^n + 4 * 335^n / 365^n + 337^n / 365^n.
P(E_n) = 1 - P(~E_n) >= 1/2. I don't know how to determine n analytically, but I did obtain it numerically (using a simple basic program) and got n = 37.
The answer according to the book is 5. I must have done something wrong, but what?
Homework Statement
How many people have to be in a room in order that the probability that at least two of them celebrate their birthday in the same month is at least 1/2? Assume that all possible monthly outcomes are equally likely.
Homework Equations
Axioms and basic theorems of probability.
The Attempt at a Solution
Let E_n be the event that at least two of n people in a room celebrate their birthday in the same month. I'm basically asked to determine the value of n for which P(E_n) >= 1/2.
It must be easier to calculate the complement of E_n, ~E_n, and from that calculate P(E_n). Note that ~E_n is the event that nobody celebrates their birthday in the same month.
Now, ~E_n is the union of the events that nobody celebrates their birthday in the ith month of the year, which I will call F_i, i = 1 to 12. Since the F_i's are mutually exclusive, P(~E_n) = P(F_1) + ... + P(F_12).
If month j has d days, then P(F_j) = (365 - d)^n / 365^n. For months 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 10, 12 d = 31, for months 4, 6, 9, 11 d = 30, and for month 2 d = 28 (assuming no leap years).
So P(~E_n) = 7 * 334^n / 365^n + 4 * 335^n / 365^n + 337^n / 365^n.
P(E_n) = 1 - P(~E_n) >= 1/2. I don't know how to determine n analytically, but I did obtain it numerically (using a simple basic program) and got n = 37.
The answer according to the book is 5. I must have done something wrong, but what?