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Putnam 2014 A4

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December 7, 2014
Putnamprobabilityinequalitiesalgebrapolynomialexpected valuePutnam 2014

Problem Statement

Suppose XX is a random variable that takes on only nonnegative integer values, with E[X]=1,E[X]=1, E[X2]=2,E[X^2]=2, and E[X3]=5.E[X^3]=5. (Here E[Y]E[Y] denotes the expectation of the random variable Y.Y.) Determine the smallest possible value of the probability of the event X=0.X=0.