Combination Probability hopefully an easy one

Join the discussion
Registration is free. Ask a follow-up in this thread, or start your own.
1 reply · 2K views
clockwork9
Messages
1
Reaction score
0
Combination Probability... hopefully an easy one :)

I'm doing some CS homework dealing with the efficiency of BitTorrent. Specifically, I'm dealing with combinations of clusters..

So, say, you have file with 5 clusters {A,B,C,D,E}, and you want to pick 3 of them, you the have a choice of 10 cluster combinations: (5!)/(2!*3!)=10

Now, here's where I'm stuck.. I need to setup and equation for the probability that one (or more) specific cluster is in the group you selected. Let's say you pick one of the 10 combinations, now.. are the odds that cluster A is in the group that you picked?
What are the odds clusters A and B are in the group you picked?

I've simplified this, the problem I'm actually dealing this: Bob and Anne are sharing a file on bittorrent with N cluster. Bob is sharing N cluster, anne is sharing Q clusters. N>Q What are the odds that Bob is sharing all the clusters of Q?

You help is very appreciated!
Jim
 
Last edited:
Physics news on Phys.org


clockwork9 said:
I'm doing some CS homework dealing with the efficiency of BitTorrent. Specifically, I'm dealing with combinations of clusters..

So, say, you have file with 5 clusters {A,B,C,D,E}, and you want to pick 3 of them, you the have a choice of 10 cluster combinations: (5!)/(2!*3!)=10

Now, here's where I'm stuck.. I need to setup and equation for the probability that one (or more) specific cluster is in the group you selected. Let's say you pick one of the 10 combinations, now.. are the odds that cluster A is in the group that you picked?
What are the odds clusters A and B are in the group you picked?

This is really easy. If you select 3 objects from the set {A,B,C,D,E}, the probability that A is one of those selected is 3/5.

clockwork9 said:
I've simplified this, the problem I'm actually dealing this: Bob and Anne are sharing a file on bittorrent with N cluster. Bob is sharing N cluster, anne is sharing Q clusters. N>Q What are the odds that Bob is sharing all the clusters of Q?

You help is very appreciated!
Jim

Here you lost me. If there are N clusters and Bob is sharing N of them, isn't he sharing ALL the clusters?