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        riddles >> hard >> The one having to do with just coins, letters, and
        
(Message started by: Eric Sw on Jun 6^th, 2005, 9:06pm)

Title: The one having to do with just coins, letters, and
Post by Eric Sw on Jun 6^th, 2005, 9:06pm

That seems stupidly easy, unless I am missing something.

For each item you take the number of possible outcomes for each random slot (26 for letters, 10 for numters and two for the heads or tails). Then you put it to the power of how big of a section you are looking for (10 because willywilly is 10 letters long, et cetera). Then you add the the number of different characters in the item (5 different letters in willywilly et cetera). Only thing I don't get is the + 10 on the second one, but eh.

Title: Re: The one having to do with just coins, letters,
Post by Deedlit on Jun 6^th, 2005, 9:37pm

Nope - note that there are only 3 numbers in the second sequence. Here's a hint: "repitition".

When you say "stupidly easy", it makes me wonder whether you understand that the idea is not merely to find a pattern among the expected times, but to actually prove that the sequences have those expected times.