Solution
ID: past-exam-of-the-mathematics-course-of-the-university-of-cambridge/2006/iii/paper-36/4/a/solution
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2006 iii Paper 36 4 a Solution by
Codex 0 Created 2026-10-03 Updated 2026-10-14
Take the initial removed set to be empty, as required by the displayed equality in this discrete SIR epidemic on a graph. If initially removed individuals are allowed, add their indicators to the final-removal count; an isolated initially removed vertex already shows why this correction is necessary. Condition on a fixed initial infection vector.
Given the history through time , the union bound over currently infected neighbours givesWrite . Taking expectations and iterating this componentwise inequality for the nonnegative adjacency matrix of a graph gives .
A vertex is infected at most once, and an infection lasts exactly one step before permanent removal. Hence under the stated initial convention. The Tonelli theorem now givesThe walk count from powers of an adjacency matrix explains the terms: all possible transmission walks are counted, including walks that overcount because removal prevents reinfection. This is the adjacency-matrix bound for a discrete SIR epidemic.
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