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J. Laurie Snell

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476:: Doob kept a card file of ideas for theses. When he got a new graduate student he would pull out a card and suggest the problem on the card. If the student could not solve it, Doob put it back in the file and chose the next card...I succeeded on the third card, which proposed extending to submartingales an inequality called the "upcrossing inequality" that Doob proved for martingales and used to prove his 20: 102:(1957) which described probability theory, linear algebra, and applications in sociology, genetics, psychology, anthropology, and economics. They found "the basic ideas of finite mathematics were easier to state and theorems about them considerably easier to prove than their infinite counterparts." A French translation was made by M. C. Loyau and published in 1960 by Donod. 451:
of any of the random variables, given the previous outcomes, is equal to the last outcome. Thus, if we interpret the outcomes as our fortune in a game, at each stage the game seems fair. So, we can think of a martingale as representing a fair game. If the expected value is less than or equal to the
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with Kemeny. As the "first self-contained account in English", it attracted wide interest. While one reviewer said "the exposition is of high quality", other reviewers found fault: Too little attention paid to assumptions inherent in a model. "Interest builds steadily as one peruses the book." But
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which included applications: computer circuits, critical path analysis, flow diagrams for computing and accounting procedures, Monte Carlo simulation of decision processes, reliability, decision theory, waiting line theory, a simple approach to mathematics of finance, matrix games, and the simplex
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last outcome, then we say the process is a supermartingale and, if it is greater than or equal to the last value, then it is called a submartingale. Thus, a supermartingale represents an unfavorable game and a submartingale a favorable game. These names are suggested by probabilistic
135:"little attention to historical development." "From the point of view of an undergraduate ... the opening chapter on mathematical prerequisites is rather frightening." "Does not supersede the corresponding chapters in Feller's classic 78:. Doob assigned such topics by having students attempt to solve a series of problems that he kept on file cards. Snell earned his Ph.D. in 1951 ("Applications of Martingale System Theorems"), with Doob as his supervisor. 50:, an adventure author, and Lucille, a concert pianist. Lucille taught the three sons (Jud, John and Laurie) to play piano, cello, and violin. The family had a life-lease on a cabin in 648: 530: 109:(1959) for sophomores at Dartmouth studying science. Infinite problems are considered after their finite counterparts are fully developed in the text. In 1962 the publisher 584: 399: 939: 90:
Snell became involved in a mathematics department project to develop a course on modern mathematics used in biological and social sciences. He worked with
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in 1992 to "review news and journal articles pertaining to probability and statistics in the real world." One feature is
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in the Student Mathematical Library. The book covers four topics: streaks in sports as streaks of successful
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method for solving linear programming problems. A second edition of the first text came out in 1966.
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1980: (with Ross P. Kindermann) "On the relation between Markov random fields and social networks",
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issued a third book from a Dartmouth team: Kemeny, Snell, Thompson, and Arthur Schleifer Jr. wrote
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with positive probability, which implies that the submartingale converges with probability 1.
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for statistical gaffes in media reports, a column originally found in the newsletter of the
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dominating the price process. The Snell envelope refers to results in a 1952 paper
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Another colleague at Dartmouth, Hazleton Mirkil, joined the team to write
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for the expected number of times the sample path can go from below
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J. L. Snell (1952) "Applications of martingale system theorems",
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J.L. Snell (1959) "Finite Markov Chains and Their Applications",
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with Charles M. Grinstead and William P. Peterson, a book
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1962: (with Kemeny, Thompson & Arthur Schleifer Jr.)
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Snell retired in 1995 and was elected as a fellow of the
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1959: (with Kemeny, Thompson & Hazleton Mirkil)
642: 578: 524: 850:Transactions of the American Mathematical Society 822:Proceedings of the Edinburgh Mathematical Society 891: 409:2011: (with C.M. Grinstead & W.P. Peterson) 940:Fellows of the American Statistical Association 789:Journal of the American Statistical Association 379:second edition, American Mathematical Society, 70:from 1948 through 1951; Doob introduced him to 702:J.L. Snell (2005) "Obituary: Joseph L. Doob", 474:Quoted from Snell's Obituary of Joseph L. Doob 443:: A discrete-time martingale is a sequence of 441:Quoted from Snell's Obituary of Joseph L. Doob 38:) was an American mathematician and educator. 288:Finite Mathematics with Business Applications 115:Finite Mathematics with Business Applications 126:In 1959 Snell published a survey article on 311:Markov Random Fields and Their Applications 302:1966: (with J.G. Kemeny & A.W. Knapp) 294:Mathematical Models in the Social Sciences 235:Applications of martingale system theorems 54:where they would go for summer holidays. 18: 866:Literature by and about J. Laurie Snell 194:models, estimating expected value of a 892: 698: 696: 694: 480:. This inequality for a submartingale 447:with finite expectation such that the 306:, second edition 1976, Springer-Verlag 724:Algèbre Moderne et Activités Humaines 130:. He worked the material into a book 910:21st-century American mathematicians 905:20th-century American mathematicians 343:Random Walks and Electrical Networks 81: 691: 347:Mathematical Association of America 13: 540:, give an upper bound in terms of 456:, where martingales correspond to 256:Introduction to Finite Mathematics 100:Introduction to Finite Mathematics 14: 961: 859: 687:Michigan Technological University 336:Journal of Mathematical Sociology 62:Snell studied mathematics at the 212:American Statistical Association 57: 842: 827: 814: 801: 643:{\displaystyle E(|Y_{n}|)<k} 525:{\displaystyle Y_{1},Y_{2},...} 46:J. Laurie Snell was the son of 925:Writers from Wheaton, Illinois 900:American probability theorists 778: 758: 742: 729: 716: 704:Journal of Applied Probability 685:from Isle Royale Institute at 676: 631: 627: 612: 608: 573: 569: 554: 550: 478:martingale convergence theorem 467: 434: 375:1997: (with Charles Grinsted) 268:Finite Mathematical Structures 107:Finite Mathematical Structures 30:(January 15, 1925 in Wheaton, 1: 935:University of Illinois alumni 885:Mathematics Genealogy Project 809:American Mathematical Monthly 753:American Journal of Sociology 737:American Mathematical Monthly 669: 598:. This bound implied that if 415:American Mathematical Society 315:American Mathematical Society 309:1980: (with Ross Kindermann) 180:American Mathematical Society 162:where there is an archive of 34:– March 19, 2011 in Hanover, 945:Mathematicians from Illinois 876:Website at Dartmouth College 341:1984: (with Peter G. Doyle) 292:1962: (with John G. Kemeny) 272:1960: (with John G. Kemeny) 41: 7: 766:Quarterly Review of Biology 377:Introduction to Probability 360:Introduction To Probability 198:ticket, and reliability of 170:. Out of collaborations in 137:Introduction to Probability 121: 10: 966: 579:{\displaystyle E(|Y_{n}|)} 276:, D. van Nostrand Company 950:American textbook writers 712:10.1017/S002190020000019X 304:Denumerable Markov Chains 205: 152:Royal Statistical Society 52:Isle Royale National Park 930:Dartmouth College alumni 427: 240: 178:(2011) was published by 870:German National Library 838:Information and Control 644: 580: 526: 64:University of Illinois 24: 16:American mathematician 645: 581: 527: 462:subharmonic functions 22: 820:S. D. Silvey (1960) 602: 544: 484: 274:Finite Markov Chains 227:mathematical finance 132:Finite Markov Chains 807:K. A. Bush (1960) 650:for some constant 640: 576: 522: 458:harmonic functions 402:2011-07-27 at the 252:Gerald L. Thompson 229:, is the smallest 96:Gerald L. Thompson 76:probability theory 28:James Laurie Snell 25: 23:James Laurie Snell 834:Benoit Mandelbrot 422:978-0-8218-5261-3 411:Probability Tales 393:978-0-8218-0749-1 330:978-0-8218-5001-5 176:Probability Tales 88:Dartmouth College 82:Dartmouth College 957: 853: 846: 840: 831: 825: 818: 812: 805: 799: 782: 776: 762: 756: 746: 740: 733: 727: 720: 714: 700: 689: 683:Breen/Snell Camp 680: 663: 649: 647: 646: 641: 630: 625: 624: 615: 585: 583: 582: 577: 572: 567: 566: 557: 531: 529: 528: 523: 509: 508: 496: 495: 471: 465: 454:potential theory 445:random variables 438: 298:Ginn and Company 202:identification. 190:), constructing 184:Bernoulli trials 965: 964: 960: 959: 958: 956: 955: 954: 890: 889: 881:J. Laurie Snell 862: 857: 856: 847: 843: 832: 828: 819: 815: 806: 802: 797:10.2307/2282356 783: 779: 763: 759: 747: 743: 734: 730: 721: 717: 701: 692: 681: 677: 672: 667: 666: 626: 620: 616: 611: 603: 600: 599: 568: 562: 558: 553: 545: 542: 541: 504: 500: 491: 487: 485: 482: 481: 472: 468: 439: 435: 430: 404:Wayback Machine 243: 231:supermartingale 208: 188:hitting streaks 124: 84: 74:, an aspect of 60: 44: 17: 12: 11: 5: 963: 953: 952: 947: 942: 937: 932: 927: 922: 917: 912: 907: 902: 888: 887: 878: 873: 861: 860:External links 858: 855: 854: 841: 826: 813: 800: 785:Glen E. Baxter 777: 774:10.1086/403629 764:D.J. Thompson 757: 749:Harrison White 741: 728: 715: 706:42(1): 247–56 690: 674: 673: 671: 668: 665: 664: 639: 636: 633: 629: 623: 619: 614: 610: 607: 575: 571: 565: 561: 556: 552: 549: 521: 518: 515: 512: 507: 503: 499: 494: 490: 466: 449:expected value 432: 431: 429: 426: 425: 424: 407: 373: 356: 339: 332: 307: 300: 290: 284: 270: 264: 248:John G. Kemeny 242: 239: 219:Snell envelope 207: 204: 142:Snell started 123: 120: 92:John G. Kemeny 83: 80: 68:Joseph L. Doob 59: 56: 43: 40: 15: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 962: 951: 948: 946: 943: 941: 938: 936: 933: 931: 928: 926: 923: 921: 918: 916: 913: 911: 908: 906: 903: 901: 898: 897: 895: 886: 882: 879: 877: 874: 871: 867: 864: 863: 851: 845: 839: 835: 830: 823: 817: 810: 804: 798: 794: 790: 786: 781: 775: 771: 767: 761: 754: 750: 745: 738: 732: 726: 725: 719: 713: 709: 705: 699: 697: 695: 688: 684: 679: 675: 661: 657: 653: 637: 634: 621: 617: 605: 597: 594:, up to time 593: 589: 563: 559: 547: 539: 535: 519: 516: 513: 510: 505: 501: 497: 492: 488: 479: 475: 470: 463: 459: 455: 450: 446: 442: 437: 433: 423: 419: 416: 412: 408: 405: 401: 398: 394: 390: 386: 385:0-8218-0749-8 382: 378: 374: 372: 371:0-394-34485-5 368: 365: 361: 357: 355: 354:0-88385-024-9 351: 348: 344: 340: 337: 333: 331: 327: 323: 322:0-8218-5001-6 319: 316: 312: 308: 305: 301: 299: 295: 291: 289: 285: 283: 282:0-442-04328-7 279: 275: 271: 269: 265: 263: 260: 259:Prentice Hall 257: 253: 249: 245: 244: 238: 236: 232: 228: 224: 220: 215: 213: 203: 201: 197: 193: 189: 185: 181: 177: 173: 169: 166:and previous 165: 161: 158:was moved to 157: 153: 149: 145: 140: 138: 133: 129: 128:Markov chains 119: 116: 112: 111:Prentice-Hall 108: 103: 101: 97: 93: 89: 79: 77: 73: 69: 65: 58:Graduate work 55: 53: 49: 39: 37: 36:New Hampshire 33: 29: 21: 844: 829: 816: 811:67(10): 1039 808: 803: 780: 760: 744: 731: 723: 718: 678: 659: 655: 651: 595: 591: 587: 537: 533: 473: 469: 440: 436: 410: 376: 364:Random House 359: 342: 335: 310: 303: 293: 287: 273: 267: 255: 246:1957: (with 234: 216: 209: 192:stock market 175: 171: 167: 163: 155: 147: 143: 141: 136: 131: 125: 114: 106: 104: 99: 85: 61: 45: 27: 26: 920:2011 deaths 915:1925 births 852:73: 293–312 532:would, for 338:7(1): 1–13. 223:stochastics 200:fingerprint 172:Chance News 160:Chance Wiki 156:Chance News 144:Chance News 72:martingales 894:Categories 791:56: 182,3 755:66(1): 427 739:66: 99–104 670:References 221:, used in 154:. In 2005 872:catalogue 590:to above 214:in 1996. 164:Forsooths 98:to write 48:Roy Snell 42:Biography 400:Archived 148:Forsooth 122:Writings 32:Illinois 883:at the 868:in the 836:(1960) 787:(1961) 751:(1961) 196:lottery 768:37(1) 420:  397:online 391:  383:  369:  358:1988: 352:  328:  320:  280:  262:Online 206:Legacy 186:(like 824:12(1) 536:< 428:Notes 241:Books 66:with 658:and 635:< 418:ISBN 389:ISBN 381:ISBN 367:ISBN 350:ISBN 326:ISBN 318:ISBN 278:ISBN 250:and 225:and 217:The 168:News 94:and 793:doi 770:doi 708:doi 86:At 896:: 693:^ 413:, 387:, 362:, 345:, 324:, 313:, 296:, 254:) 237:. 795:: 772:: 710:: 660:b 656:a 652:k 638:k 632:) 628:| 622:n 618:Y 613:| 609:( 606:E 596:n 592:b 588:a 574:) 570:| 564:n 560:Y 555:| 551:( 548:E 538:b 534:a 520:. 517:. 514:. 511:, 506:2 502:Y 498:, 493:1 489:Y 464:. 406:) 395:(

Index


Illinois
New Hampshire
Roy Snell
Isle Royale National Park
University of Illinois
Joseph L. Doob
martingales
probability theory
Dartmouth College
John G. Kemeny
Gerald L. Thompson
Prentice-Hall
Markov chains
Royal Statistical Society
Chance Wiki
American Mathematical Society
Bernoulli trials
hitting streaks
stock market
lottery
fingerprint
American Statistical Association
Snell envelope
stochastics
mathematical finance
supermartingale
John G. Kemeny
Gerald L. Thompson
Prentice Hall

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