Biased random walk hitting probability ($h_i=(q/p{)}^i,p>q=1-p,i\ge 0$)

For a biased random walk on the nonnegative integers with upward probability $p>q=1-p>0$, the hitting probability of zero from $i$ is $(q/p{)}^i$. Indeed, first-step analysis gives $h_i=p{h}_{i+1}+q{h}_{i-1}$ for $i\ge 1$, with $h_0=1$. Its characteristic roots are $1$ and $\beta =q/p$, so any solution is $A+(1-A){\beta }^i$. Nonnegativity as $i\to \infty$ forces $A\ge 0$ and hence a value at least ${\beta }^i$. This candidate itself satisfies the recurrence. The theorem on the minimal nonnegative solution for hitting probabilities therefore identifies it with $h_i$. A walk on all of $\mathbb{Z}$ has the same probability until it first reaches zero.