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If the Markov chain is time-homogeneous, then the transition matrix P is the same after each step, so the k-step transition probability can be computed as the k-th power of the transition matrix, P k. If the Markov chain is irreducible and aperiodic, then there is a unique stationary distribution π. [41]
Consider a finite state irreducible aperiodic Markov chain with state space and (unique) stationary distribution (is a probability vector). Suppose that we come up with a probability distribution on the set of maps : with the property that for every fixed , its image () is distributed according to the transition probability of from state .
In probability theory, the mixing time of a Markov chain is the time until the Markov chain is "close" to its steady state distribution.. More precisely, a fundamental result about Markov chains is that a finite state irreducible aperiodic chain has a unique stationary distribution π and, regardless of the initial state, the time-t distribution of the chain converges to π as t tends to infinity.
A basic property about an absorbing Markov chain is the expected number of visits to a transient state j starting from a transient state i (before being absorbed). This can be established to be given by the (i, j) entry of so-called fundamental matrix N, obtained by summing Q k for all k (from 0 to ∞).
Consider this figure depicting a section of a Markov chain with states i, j, k and l and the corresponding transition probabilities. Here Kolmogorov's criterion implies that the product of probabilities when traversing through any closed loop must be equal, so the product around the loop i to j to l to k returning to i must be equal to the loop the other way round,
In 1953 the term Markov chain was used for stochastic processes with discrete or continuous index set, living on a countable or finite state space, see Doob. [1] or Chung. [2] Since the late 20th century it became more popular to consider a Markov chain as a stochastic process with discrete index set, living on a measurable state space. [3] [4] [5]
In a strongly connected graph, if one defines a Markov chain on the vertices, in which the probability of transitioning from v to w is nonzero if and only if there is an edge from v to w, then this chain is aperiodic if and only if the graph is aperiodic. A Markov chain in which all states are recurrent has a strongly connected state transition ...
A game of snakes and ladders or any other game whose moves are determined entirely by dice is a Markov chain, indeed, an absorbing Markov chain. This is in contrast to card games such as blackjack, where the cards represent a 'memory' of the past moves. To see the difference, consider the probability for a certain event in the game.