A1.1 B1.1

Markov Chains | Part II, 2002

(i) We are given a finite set of airports. Assume that between any two airports, ii and jj, there are aij=ajia_{i j}=a_{j i} flights in each direction on every day. A confused traveller takes one flight per day, choosing at random from all available flights. Starting from ii, how many days on average will pass until the traveller returns again to ii ? Be careful to allow for the case where there may be no flights at all between two given airports.

(ii) Consider the infinite tree TT with root RR, where, for all m0m \geqslant 0, all vertices at distance 2m2^{m} from RR have degree 3 , and where all other vertices (except RR ) have degree 2 . Show that the random walk on TT is recurrent.

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