SIAM Journal on Control and Optimization, Vol.32, No.4, 937-951, 1994
Minimax-Optimal Strategies for the Best-Choice Problem When a Bound Is Known for the Expected Number of Objects
For the best-choice (or secretary) problem with an unknown number N of objects, minimax-optimal strategies for the observer and minimax distributions for N are derived under the assumption that N is a random variable with expected value at most M, where M is known. The solution is derived as a special case of the situation where N is constrained by Ef(N) less-than-or-equal-to M, where f is increasing with f(i) - f(i - 1) convex.
Keywords:SECRETARY