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Equation 2 · Part 1 · The Hardest Unsolved Problems in Open-Weight AI

Symbol q

qq
qq

What this part means

the probability.

Its job in the formula

q is a part of this expression. Its role is fixed by the surrounding article and by the operations shown in the formula.

Where the article explains it

If N copies exist and each copyholder independently retains theirs with probability q close to one, the probability that every single copy is eventually deleted or brought back under control is qNq^{N} , so the probability that at least one copy survives indefinitely is

The passage around this formula

…cannot rescue the situation is to notice how quickly the number of independent copies dominates any per-copy probability of control. If N copies exist and each copyholder independently retains theirs with probability q close to one, the probability that every single copy is eventually deleted or brought back under control is qNq^{N} , so the probability that at least one copy survives indefinitely is

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Learn the underlying idea

A variable is a named place for a value. Its letter is a local label: x can mean position in one formula and a data point in another.

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Sources cited in the article section

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