What is the probability of a world series ending after 4 games? After 5 games? 6 games? 7 games?

Assume that each team has equal probability of winning each game, regardless of who has won the previous games.

(For the baseball-challenged, the World Series ends after one team has won 4 games. Ties are not possible.)

The respective probabilities of having a four game series, a five
game series, a six game series and a seven game srries are 1/8, 1/4, 5/16 and 5/16

Posted by K Sengupta on 2007-06-19 05:00:57