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RB_CH04_Q034. Four boxes pebble Box 1 transitions

difficulty 1900·answer type: strategy·Not solved

Problem

Consider four boxes in a row numbered 1, 2, 3, and 4. You start with a pebble in Box 1. We toss a fair coin. If it heads you move the pebble forward one step to Box 2, but if it is tails you move the pebble forward two steps to Box 3. We then toss the coin again. If it heads, you move Box 4 the game is over. If you are back in Box 1, however, then we toss again following the same rules. What is the expected number of coin tosses it will take to reach Box 4?

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