The Infinite Secretary Problem
Gianini, Jacqueline ; Samuels, Stephen M.
Ann. Probab., Tome 4 (1976) no. 6, p. 418-432 / Harvested from Project Euclid
An infinite sequence of rankable individuals (rank $1 =$ best) arrive at times which are i.i.d., uniform on (0, 1). We, in effect, observe only their relative ranks as they arrive. We seek a stopping rule to minimize the mean of a prescribed positive increasing function, $q(\bullet)$, of the actual rank of the individual chosen. Let $f(t)$ be the minimal mean among all stopping rules which are greater than $t$. Then $f(\bullet)$ is a solution to a certain differential equation which is derived and used to find an optimal stopping rule. This problem is in a strong sense the "limit" of a corresponding sequence of "finite secretary problems" which have been examined by various authors. The limit of the "finite-problem" minimal risks is finite if and only if the differential equation has a solution, $f(\bullet)$, which is finite on $\lbrack 0, 1)$ with $f(1^-) = \sup q(n)$. Usually, if such a solution exists, it is unique, in which case $f(0)$ is both the minimal risk for the infinite problem and the limit of the "finite-problem" minimal risks.
Publié le : 1976-06-14
Classification:  Optimal stopping rules,  loss function,  relative ranks,  60G40
@article{1176996090,
     author = {Gianini, Jacqueline and Samuels, Stephen M.},
     title = {The Infinite Secretary Problem},
     journal = {Ann. Probab.},
     volume = {4},
     number = {6},
     year = {1976},
     pages = { 418-432},
     language = {en},
     url = {http://dml.mathdoc.fr/item/1176996090}
}
Gianini, Jacqueline; Samuels, Stephen M. The Infinite Secretary Problem. Ann. Probab., Tome 4 (1976) no. 6, pp.  418-432. http://gdmltest.u-ga.fr/item/1176996090/