[Math] Probability question with coins

probability

Let's say A keep tossing a fair coin, until he gets 2 consecutive heads, define $X$ to be the number of tosses for this process; B keep tossing another fair coin, until he gets 3 consecutive heads, define $Y$ to be the number of the tosses for this process.

Calculate $Pr(X>Y)$

This problem seems not too difficult but I can't solve it.

Best Answer

Since the rvs are discrete and independent, the way I see it you need to find an expression for $P(X-Y>0)$:

$$ \sum_{k=4}^{\infty}P(X=k \cap Y \leq k-1)= \sum_{k=4}^{\infty}P(X=k)P(Y \leq k-1) $$ and since events 'toss $k$ times to get 3 H in a row' are disjoint you immediately have $P(Y \leq k-1) = \sum_{j=3}^{k-1}P(Y=j)$. Can you handle from here?