Higher Dimensional Random Walks












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$begingroup$


I've read on a paper that, in the two dimensional case, if you start from the origin and take steps of length one in an arbitrary direction (uniformely on the unit sphere $S^1$), the expected distance after $n$ steps from the starting point is approximated by $sqrt{npi}/2$.



(source: https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/6685/1166d588821456477f2007a37bf0428a2cf2.pdf).



I was wondering if there was a similar formula for higher dimensional random walks, which means:



Starting from the origin in $mathbb{R}^d$, if i set $v_i = v_{i-1} + mu$, where $mu in S^{d-1}$ picked at random at every step and $v_0 = 0$, what is the expected value of $|v_n|$? e.g. how distant is the point from the origin after having taken $n$ steps in random directions?



I don't need a precise formula, everything that just gives an idea on how large the expected distance is works just fine.
(if you could add a reference to the answer as well it would be great! :D )



Thank you very much!










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    0












    $begingroup$


    I've read on a paper that, in the two dimensional case, if you start from the origin and take steps of length one in an arbitrary direction (uniformely on the unit sphere $S^1$), the expected distance after $n$ steps from the starting point is approximated by $sqrt{npi}/2$.



    (source: https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/6685/1166d588821456477f2007a37bf0428a2cf2.pdf).



    I was wondering if there was a similar formula for higher dimensional random walks, which means:



    Starting from the origin in $mathbb{R}^d$, if i set $v_i = v_{i-1} + mu$, where $mu in S^{d-1}$ picked at random at every step and $v_0 = 0$, what is the expected value of $|v_n|$? e.g. how distant is the point from the origin after having taken $n$ steps in random directions?



    I don't need a precise formula, everything that just gives an idea on how large the expected distance is works just fine.
    (if you could add a reference to the answer as well it would be great! :D )



    Thank you very much!










    share|cite|improve this question









    $endgroup$















      0












      0








      0





      $begingroup$


      I've read on a paper that, in the two dimensional case, if you start from the origin and take steps of length one in an arbitrary direction (uniformely on the unit sphere $S^1$), the expected distance after $n$ steps from the starting point is approximated by $sqrt{npi}/2$.



      (source: https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/6685/1166d588821456477f2007a37bf0428a2cf2.pdf).



      I was wondering if there was a similar formula for higher dimensional random walks, which means:



      Starting from the origin in $mathbb{R}^d$, if i set $v_i = v_{i-1} + mu$, where $mu in S^{d-1}$ picked at random at every step and $v_0 = 0$, what is the expected value of $|v_n|$? e.g. how distant is the point from the origin after having taken $n$ steps in random directions?



      I don't need a precise formula, everything that just gives an idea on how large the expected distance is works just fine.
      (if you could add a reference to the answer as well it would be great! :D )



      Thank you very much!










      share|cite|improve this question









      $endgroup$




      I've read on a paper that, in the two dimensional case, if you start from the origin and take steps of length one in an arbitrary direction (uniformely on the unit sphere $S^1$), the expected distance after $n$ steps from the starting point is approximated by $sqrt{npi}/2$.



      (source: https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/6685/1166d588821456477f2007a37bf0428a2cf2.pdf).



      I was wondering if there was a similar formula for higher dimensional random walks, which means:



      Starting from the origin in $mathbb{R}^d$, if i set $v_i = v_{i-1} + mu$, where $mu in S^{d-1}$ picked at random at every step and $v_0 = 0$, what is the expected value of $|v_n|$? e.g. how distant is the point from the origin after having taken $n$ steps in random directions?



      I don't need a precise formula, everything that just gives an idea on how large the expected distance is works just fine.
      (if you could add a reference to the answer as well it would be great! :D )



      Thank you very much!







      probability approximation random-walk probability-limit-theorems






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      share|cite|improve this question











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      asked Jan 10 at 23:05









      AlfredAlfred

      335




      335






















          1 Answer
          1






          active

          oldest

          votes


















          0












          $begingroup$

          As described here:



          $${displaystyle P(r)={frac {2r}{N}}e^{-r^{2}/N}}$$






          share|cite|improve this answer









          $endgroup$













          • $begingroup$
            Your answer is just for the case where the steps are all orthogonal between them ( 6 directions: (1,0,0)(0,1,0)(0,0,1) and the negatives for $R^3$ ). I'm looking for the general case, where the steps are allowed to be taken in any random direction. Thank you tho!
            $endgroup$
            – Alfred
            Jan 10 at 23:17










          • $begingroup$
            Actually, if the formula you posted is an upper bound of the one I need, would be great as well, but is it the case?
            $endgroup$
            – Alfred
            Jan 10 at 23:20











          Your Answer





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          1 Answer
          1






          active

          oldest

          votes









          active

          oldest

          votes






          active

          oldest

          votes









          0












          $begingroup$

          As described here:



          $${displaystyle P(r)={frac {2r}{N}}e^{-r^{2}/N}}$$






          share|cite|improve this answer









          $endgroup$













          • $begingroup$
            Your answer is just for the case where the steps are all orthogonal between them ( 6 directions: (1,0,0)(0,1,0)(0,0,1) and the negatives for $R^3$ ). I'm looking for the general case, where the steps are allowed to be taken in any random direction. Thank you tho!
            $endgroup$
            – Alfred
            Jan 10 at 23:17










          • $begingroup$
            Actually, if the formula you posted is an upper bound of the one I need, would be great as well, but is it the case?
            $endgroup$
            – Alfred
            Jan 10 at 23:20
















          0












          $begingroup$

          As described here:



          $${displaystyle P(r)={frac {2r}{N}}e^{-r^{2}/N}}$$






          share|cite|improve this answer









          $endgroup$













          • $begingroup$
            Your answer is just for the case where the steps are all orthogonal between them ( 6 directions: (1,0,0)(0,1,0)(0,0,1) and the negatives for $R^3$ ). I'm looking for the general case, where the steps are allowed to be taken in any random direction. Thank you tho!
            $endgroup$
            – Alfred
            Jan 10 at 23:17










          • $begingroup$
            Actually, if the formula you posted is an upper bound of the one I need, would be great as well, but is it the case?
            $endgroup$
            – Alfred
            Jan 10 at 23:20














          0












          0








          0





          $begingroup$

          As described here:



          $${displaystyle P(r)={frac {2r}{N}}e^{-r^{2}/N}}$$






          share|cite|improve this answer









          $endgroup$



          As described here:



          $${displaystyle P(r)={frac {2r}{N}}e^{-r^{2}/N}}$$







          share|cite|improve this answer












          share|cite|improve this answer



          share|cite|improve this answer










          answered Jan 10 at 23:08









          David G. StorkDavid G. Stork

          10.7k31332




          10.7k31332












          • $begingroup$
            Your answer is just for the case where the steps are all orthogonal between them ( 6 directions: (1,0,0)(0,1,0)(0,0,1) and the negatives for $R^3$ ). I'm looking for the general case, where the steps are allowed to be taken in any random direction. Thank you tho!
            $endgroup$
            – Alfred
            Jan 10 at 23:17










          • $begingroup$
            Actually, if the formula you posted is an upper bound of the one I need, would be great as well, but is it the case?
            $endgroup$
            – Alfred
            Jan 10 at 23:20


















          • $begingroup$
            Your answer is just for the case where the steps are all orthogonal between them ( 6 directions: (1,0,0)(0,1,0)(0,0,1) and the negatives for $R^3$ ). I'm looking for the general case, where the steps are allowed to be taken in any random direction. Thank you tho!
            $endgroup$
            – Alfred
            Jan 10 at 23:17










          • $begingroup$
            Actually, if the formula you posted is an upper bound of the one I need, would be great as well, but is it the case?
            $endgroup$
            – Alfred
            Jan 10 at 23:20
















          $begingroup$
          Your answer is just for the case where the steps are all orthogonal between them ( 6 directions: (1,0,0)(0,1,0)(0,0,1) and the negatives for $R^3$ ). I'm looking for the general case, where the steps are allowed to be taken in any random direction. Thank you tho!
          $endgroup$
          – Alfred
          Jan 10 at 23:17




          $begingroup$
          Your answer is just for the case where the steps are all orthogonal between them ( 6 directions: (1,0,0)(0,1,0)(0,0,1) and the negatives for $R^3$ ). I'm looking for the general case, where the steps are allowed to be taken in any random direction. Thank you tho!
          $endgroup$
          – Alfred
          Jan 10 at 23:17












          $begingroup$
          Actually, if the formula you posted is an upper bound of the one I need, would be great as well, but is it the case?
          $endgroup$
          – Alfred
          Jan 10 at 23:20




          $begingroup$
          Actually, if the formula you posted is an upper bound of the one I need, would be great as well, but is it the case?
          $endgroup$
          – Alfred
          Jan 10 at 23:20


















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