I would like to know ...
In the repeated coin flip, ¿how do I calculate the entropy of the random variable X that represents the number of flips to do until get "head" for first time?
I would like to know ...
In the repeated coin flip, ¿how do I calculate the entropy of the random variable X that represents the number of flips to do until get "head" for first time?
The variable X
can take any number from 1 through infinity. The probabilities are:
p(X = i) = (1/2)^i
The entropy is:
H = - Sum {i from 1 to infinity} ( p(X = i) * log2(p(X = i)) )
= - Sum {i from 1 to infinity} ( 1/2^i * log2(1/2^i) )
= - Sum {i from 1 to infinity} ( 1/2^i * i * log2(1/2) )
= Sum {i from 1 to infinity} ( 1/2^i * i )
Solving this yields:
H = 2 bit