Paper 3, Section I, H
Part IB, 2018
The mathematics course at the University of Barchester is a three-year one. After the end-of-year examinations there are three possibilities:
(i) failing and leaving (probability );
(ii) taking that year again (probability );
(iii) going on to the next year (or graduating, if the current year is the third one) (probability ).
Thus there are five states for a student year, year, year, left without a degree, graduated).
Write down the transition matrix. Classify the states, assuming . Find the probability that a student will eventually graduate.