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Two uniforms in the same dyadic band

Question

Let XX and YY be independent and uniform on (0,1)(0,1). What is the probability that ⌊log⁡2X⌋\lfloor\log_2 X\rfloor and ⌊log⁡2Y⌋\lfloor\log_2 Y\rfloor are equal?

Short answer

1/31/3. The floor of log⁡2\log_2 equals −n-n exactly on the band [2−n,2−n+1)[2^{-n},2^{-n+1}), which has length 2−n2^{-n}. Both variables share band nn with probability 4−n4^{-n}, and ∑n≥14−n=13\sum_{n\ge1}4^{-n}=\tfrac13.

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