Questions tagged [markov-chains]

Stochastic processes (with either discrete or continuous time dependence) on a discrete (finite or countably infinite) state space in which the distribution of the next state depends only on the current state. For Markov processes on continuous state spaces please use (markov-process) instead.

A Markov chain is a stochastic process on a discrete (finite or countably infinite) space in which the distribution of the next state depends only on the current state. These objects show up in probability and computer science both in discrete-time and continuous-time models. For Markov processes on continuous spaces please use .

A discrete-time Markov chain is a sequence of random variables $\{X_n\}_{n\geq1}$ with the Markov property, namely that the probability of moving to the next state depends only on the present state and not on the previous states, i.e. $$\mathbb P(X_{n+1}=x\mid X_{1}=x_{1},X_{2}=x_{2},\ldots ,X_{n}=x_{n})=\mathbb P(X_{n+1}=x\mid X_{n}=x_{n}),$$ if both conditional probabilities are well defined, i.e. if $\mathbb P(X_{1}=x_{1},\ldots ,X_{n}=x_{n})>0.$

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How to show that this process is a Markov chain?

This question is from DEGROOT's "Probability and Statistics". Question: Suppose that a coin is tossed repeatedly in such a way that heads and tails are equally likely to appear on any given toss and that all tosses are independent, with the …
Silent
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Probability of not visiting a recurrent state does not go to zero under an infinite measure?

This question is related to a comment in Rick Durret's book, Probability: Theory and Examples (version 5). In the proof for Theorem 5.5.9, which is about the uniqueness of stationary measure for irreducible and recurrent Markov chains with a…
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Markov chain with $3$ states, with a stationary distribution $(\frac{1}{6}, \frac{1}{3}, \frac{1}{2})$

Question from an old test: Find an example of a periodic Markov chain with $3$ states, with a stationary distribution $( \frac{1}{6}, \frac{1}{3}, \frac{1}{2})$. I can see only two ways to connect the states. A triangle won't work because if we…
Michał
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How to find transition matrix for a given stationary distribution?

How can we find transition matrix for given stationary distribution e.g [1/4, 2/4, 1/4]. I know the sum of each row equals 1, from $A*v=v$, we can get 3 more equations and the last 3 from property $\pi_i*q_{ij} = \pi_j*q_{ji}$. Honestly, it seems an…
Vipero
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Is there any irreducible, aperiodic, recurrent positive Markov chain whose expectation does not converge to the expectation of the invariant measure?

I wonder if there is any irreducible, aperiodic, recurrent positive Markov chain $M_n$ taking values in $\mathbb{N}$ such that for some initial state $k_0$, $E_{k_0} M_n$ does not converge to $E_{X\sim \mu} X=\sum_{k\in\mathbb{N}}k\mu_k$, where…
Papagon
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Non homogenous Markov chain and first passage time.

I need some help about a particular notion I use as a PhD student in economics (and former maths student but no matter). For a classical homogeneous Markov chain $(X_n)_n$ with finite space states, we can define the random variable called "first…
Alexique
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$2D$ Markov Chain with Bounds

Suppose $M$ is a $2D$ random walk on a grid of squares where it travels in any direction uniformly, but if the direction traveled is out of bounds, it stays in the same location. How would one prove that the uniform distribution is the stationary…
deah12
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Conditions for Markov chain

Let $\{X_n\}$ be a Markov chain with transition matrix $P$, and $Y_n := X_{m-n}$, $m\ge n$. Under what conditions is $\{Y_n\}_{n\ge 0}$ Markov chain? I stared by proving that conditional probability of $Y_{n+1} = y$ depends only on $m, n, y$ and…
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Aperiodicity of a Markov chain

I've just started studying Markov Chain(MC), and I trying to understand why the following MC is aperiodic with state space $Z =\{0,1\}$ $\begin{bmatrix} 0.5 & 0.5 \\ 1 & 0 \end{bmatrix}$ In my understanding, a state $j$ is aperiodic if it takes one…
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Markov chain where its transition matrix P is not regular

I've got some troubles understanding all connections between different Markov chains and their meaning, more specifically: I know that if the matrix P is regular, it has a limiting distribution which also is the unique stationary distribution. But…
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stationary distribution of a specific markov chain

A chain with states $1,2,...,\rho$ has a matrix whose first and last rows are $(q, p, 0,...,0)$ and $(0,...,0, q, p)$. In all other rows $p_{k,k+1} = p, p_{k, k-1} = q$. Find the stationary distribution. the stationary distribution $\pi$ satisfies…
Math_Day
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Markov Chain Ergodic Theorem

Consider a discrete time Markov Chain on countable state space $X_{0},X_{1},\ldots$. Assume that the chain satisfies the Foster Lyapunov criteria, and since it is countable state space chain, we conclude that it is positive recurrent. Will it still…
user24367
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Properties of the Markov chain $X_{3n}$

There is a similar question to mine here, but it never received an answer. Let $\left(X_n\right)_{n\geq 0}$ be an irreducible Markov chain on the state space $I=\{1,2,3,4,5\}$ with intial distribution $\lambda$ and one-step transition matrix $P$.…
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Prove that if $g: S \rightarrow \mathbb{R}$ is a function such that $ g(i) p_{i j}=g(j) p_{j i}, \quad \forall i, j \in S $ then $g=c \pi$

I am terrible at writing proofs so I was wondering if someone could help me check if I am right or heading in the right direction. Problem Consider an irreducible Markov chain with finitely many states. Prove that if $g: S \rightarrow \mathbb{R}$ is…