Given:
n,
the number of days in a year, e.g., n= 365;
k,
the number of partygoers needed for the probability of two identical birthdays
to exceed 1 - p, e.g., k= 23 for p= .5;
b,
the number of different pairings of k people, e.g., b= 253
for k= 23;
c,
the number of partygoers needed for the probability of one of them having
your birthday to exceed 1 - p, e.g., c= 253 for
n= 365 and p= .5;
and these well-known approximations:
[A]
if a<< n
[B]
if i<< j
we will show that:
Substitute
into
[A]
yielding:
[C]
Multiply
both sides by n
[D]
Raise
both sides to the power k
[E]
Simplify the double
exponent
[F]
Substitute
b for
[G]
On
the left side, combine the powers of n
[H]
[I]
[J]
Substitute
j = n- 2 , i = k- 2 into [B]
[K]
[L]
The right sides
of [J] and [L] are equal; pair the left sides
[M]
Multiply
both sides by n-1
[N]
Multiply
both sides by n
[O]
[P]
Divide
both sides by
[Q]
[R]
Substitute
p for
[S]
[T]
Substitute
c for
[U]
QED.
I have not bounded the error analytically, but empirically, I have shown the error in:
to be within 1.0 when n> 4 and p> .04.
Home | The Birthday Problem | A Generalization | The Proof