Abstract: | Let Ω = {1, 0} and for each integer n ≥ 1 let (n-tuple) and for all k = 0,1,…,n. Let {Ym}m≥1 be a sequence of i.i.d. random variables such that . For each A in , let TA be the first occurrence time of A with respect to the stochastic process {Ym}m≥1. R. Chen and A.Zame (1979, J. Multivariate Anal. 9, 150–157) prove that if n ≥ 3, then for each element A in , there is an element B in such that the probability that TB is less than TA is greater than . This result is sharpened as follows: (I) for n ≥ 4 and 1 ≤ k ≤ n ? 1, each element A in , there is an element B also in such that the probability that TB is less than TA is greater than ; (II) for n ≥ 4 and 1 ≤ k ≤ n ? 1, each element A = (a1, a2,…,an) in , there is an element C also in such that the probability that TA is less than TC is greater than if n ≠ 2m or n = 2m but ai = ai + 1 for some 1 ≤ i ≤ n?1. These new results provide us with a better and deeper understanding of the fair coin tossing process. |