If you’re struggling with understanding the notion of detailed balance, try out this quick challenge problem.
- Consider RW on the graph pictured below. For what value(s) of
, does there exist a measure
that satisfies the Detailed Balance condition.
Scott A McKinley 
Can anyone explain how to do this problem? I know detailed balance and how to determine whether a MC meets the DB condition, but given that we do not know p in this problem, how would you calculate all the possible p’s for which DB is met?
My thought is to assume (WLOG) that p > .5. Then in order to satisfy detailed balance you need each subsequent pi(x) larger than the last, which results in a contradiction since it is a loop and 6 returns to 1.