Transition Matrices with Culling and Restocking

Matrix Recurrence Relations for Culling and Restocking

𝑆 = initial state matrix, 𝑆 = 𝑇𝑆 + 𝐵

When you have a situation where you add a matrix on, you CANNOT calculate the state matrices
using powers of 𝑇.

You must evaluate the states one by one.

These relations will generally not have a steady state as you continually add or subtract from the
relation. If the amount being added or subtracted matches the amount changed from the transition
matrix then it will become steady.

Example
0.7 0.4 200 25
𝑇= , 𝑆 = , 𝐵=
0.3 0.6 600 −40

0.7 0.4 200 25 405

𝑆 = 𝑇𝑆 + 𝐵 = + =
0.3 0.6 600 −40 380

0.7 0.4 405 25 460.5

𝑆 = 𝑇𝑆 + 𝐵 = + =
0.3 0.6 380 −40 309.5

Example VCAA 2016 Sample Question 5 / VCAA 2013 Question 8

The matrix 𝑆 is determined from the matrix 𝑆 using the rule 𝑆 = 𝑇𝑆 − 𝐶, where 𝑇, 𝑆 and 𝐶
0.5 0.6 100 20
are defined as follows. 𝑇 = , 𝑆 = , 𝐶=
0.5 0.4 250 20

Given this information, the matrix 𝑆 equals

0.5 0.6 100 20 180

𝑆 = − =
0.5 0.4 250 20 130

0.5 0.6 180 20 148

𝑆 = − =
0.5 0.4 130 20 122

Example VCAA 2018 Question 7

A study of the antelope population in a wildfire park has shown that antelope regularly move
between three locations, east (𝐸), north (𝑁) and west (𝑊).
Let 𝐴 be the state matrix that shows the population of antelope in each location 𝑛 months after the
study began. The expected population of antelope in each location can be determined by the matrix
𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑠 𝑚𝑜𝑛𝑡ℎ
𝐸 𝑁 𝑊 50 𝐸
recurrence rule 𝐴 = 𝑇𝐴 − 𝐷 where 𝑇 = 0.4 0.2 0.2 𝐸 and 𝐷 = 50 𝑁 .
0.3 0.6 0.3 𝑁 𝑛𝑒𝑥𝑡 𝑚𝑜𝑛𝑡ℎ 50 𝑊
0.3 0.2 0.5 𝑊

The state matrix, 𝐴 , below shows the population of antelope three month after 1616 𝐸
the study began. The number of antelope in the west (𝑊) location two months 𝐴 = 2800 𝑁
after the study began, as found in the state matrix 𝐴 , is 2270. 2134 𝑊

𝐴 = 𝑇𝐴 − 𝐷 ⇒ 𝐴 = 𝑇 (𝐴 + 𝐷)

0.4 0.2 0.2 1616 50 1630 𝐸

𝐴 = 0.3 0.6 0.3 2800 + 50 = 2800 𝑁 , 𝑊 = 2270
0.3 0.2 0.5 2134 50 2270 𝑊