Even count until the coin repeats

You flip a fair coin until you first see two consecutive flips land the same (two heads in a row or two tails in a row). What is the probability that the total number of flips is even?

Show hints (2)+
  1. Write N=1+GN=1+G where GGeom(12)G\sim\text{Geom}(\tfrac12) counts flips from the second on. NN even     \iff GG odd.
  2. Sum 12+123+125+=1/211/4=23\tfrac12+\tfrac1{2^3}+\tfrac1{2^5}+\cdots=\tfrac{1/2}{1-1/4}=\tfrac23.

Answer

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0.6667 (± 0.005)

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Asked at: SIG, Akuna Capital

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