Solution

ID: past-exam-of-the-mathematics-course-of-the-university-of-oxford/2017/prelims/mathematics-iii/4/b/iii/solution

For the geometric distribution, , so the probability generating function of the size-biased distribution is
If are independent and identically distributed with geometric distribution of parameter , the probability generating function of an independent sum gives
At zero, interpret the expression by its continuous extension. The probability generating functions agree, hence
One can also check the probability mass functions directly: for , there are positive integer pairs with sum , each having probability . Thus both sides assign probability to .

New to topics? Read the docs here!