What is measure of numbers with certain property on [0,1]

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the measure of numbers within the interval [0,1] that exhibit a specific property related to the convergence of the ratio of zeros to ones in their binary expansions. Participants explore the implications of this property, particularly in the context of rational and irrational numbers, and the convergence behavior of sequences derived from these ratios.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Mathematical reasoning

Main Points Raised

  • One participant proposes that the sequence formed by the ratio of zeros to ones in the binary expansion converges to a value in the range of [-infinity, infinity] as n approaches infinity.
  • Another participant clarifies that the nth term of the sequence represents the ratio of "0" to "1" in the first n terms of the binary expansion, suggesting that rational numbers will converge to a rational number while most irrational numbers should converge to 1.
  • A different participant suggests that the function defining the ratio is Lebesgue measurable and conjectures that it converges to 1/2 almost everywhere.
  • One participant asserts that the law of large numbers guarantees that the functions converge to 1, explaining that the random variables involved are independent and identically distributed, leading to convergence in probability and almost sure convergence.
  • Another participant reiterates the application of the Strong Law of Large Numbers to support the claim that the ratio converges to 1 almost everywhere.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the convergence behavior of the sequences, particularly regarding the specific limits for rational versus irrational numbers. While there is some agreement on the application of the law of large numbers, the overall discussion remains unresolved with multiple competing perspectives on the measure of numbers with the described property.

Contextual Notes

There are assumptions regarding the independence and distribution of the random variables involved, as well as the conditions under which convergence is claimed. The discussion does not resolve these assumptions or their implications fully.

dimitri151
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Considering the interval [0,1], say for each number (binary) on the interval you form the sequence of numbers: number of zeros up to the nth place/number of ones up to the nth place. Then as n goes to infinity the sequence of numbers (for the given binary number) will go to somewhere in [-infinity,infinity] if they converge. What is the measure of numbers on [0,1] that have this sequence converge vs not converge, and of those that converge what are the measures with numbers that converge to <1, 1 and >1?
 
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Edit: Ah, I think I understand your sequence now.
The nth term is the ratio of "0" to "1" in the first n terms of the binary expansion?

All sequences for rational numbers will certainly converge to some rational number. "Most" sequences for irrational numbers should converge to 1.
 
I think that the function ##f_{n}(x)## that takes the ratio of zeros to ones in the first n places is Lebesque measurable. For instance, ##f_{1}## assigns 0 to the numbers less than 1/2 and 1 to the numbers greater than or equal to 1/2.

I think that these functions converge pointwise to 1/2 almost everywhere.

Would like to see a proof. Do you have any ideas?
 
Last edited:
It is just the law of large numbers that the functions ##f_n## converge to ##1##. Namely, consider random variables ##X_n##, ##X_n(\omega)=####n##th digit of ##\omega\in[0.1]##. Then the random variables ##X_n## are independent (easy to check by definition), identically distributed with mean value one (and with bounded variance), so $$\frac{1}{n}\sum_{k=1}^n X_n \to \frac12;$$ convergence here is in probability (i.e. in measure) by the weak law of the large numbers, and almost sure (almost everywhere) by the strong law.

Convergence in probability implies that for almost all ##\omega\in[0,1]## the ration of 0s and 1s has limit 1. And the strong law implies that for ##f_n## from lavina's post ##f_n\to 1## a.e.
 
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Hawkeye18 said:
It is just the law of large numbers that the functions ##f_n## converge to ##1##. Namely, consider random variables ##X_n##, ##X_n(\omega)=####n##th digit of ##\omega\in[0.1]##. Then the random variables ##X_n## are independent (easy to check by definition), identically distributed with mean value one (and with bounded variance), so $$\frac{1}{n}\sum_{k=1}^n X_n \to \frac12;$$ convergence here is in probability (i.e. in measure) by the weak law of the large numbers, and almost sure (almost everywhere) by the strong law.

Convergence in probability implies that for almost all ##\omega\in[0,1]## the ration of 0s and 1s has limit 1. And the strong law implies that for ##f_n## from lavina's post ##f_n\to 1## a.e.

Right - it is the Strong Law of Large Numbers.
 

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