markoff chain

2 definitions found

markoff chain - Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 :

  Markov chain \Mark"ov chain\, n. [after A. A. Markov, Russian
     mathematician, b. 1856, d. 1922.] (Statistics)
     A random process (Markov process) in which the probabilities
     of discrete states in a series depend only on the properties
     of the immediately preceding state or the next preceeding
     state, independent of the path by which the preceding state
     was reached. It differs from the more general Markov process
     in that the states of a Markov chain are discrete rather than
     continuous. Certain physical processes, such as diffusion of
     a molecule in a fluid, are modelled as a Markov chain. See
     also random walk. [Also spelled Markoff chain.]
     [PJC]

markoff chain - WordNet (r) 2.1 (2005) :

  Markoff chain
      n 1: a Markov process for which the parameter is discrete time
           values [syn: Markov chain, Markoff chain]