Expected value of maximum of two random variables from uniform distribution

If I have two variables $X$ and $Y$ which randomly take on values uniformly from the range $[a,b]$ (all values equally probable), what is the expected value for $\max(X,Y)$?

Solution 1:

Here are some useful tools:

1. For every nonnegative random variable $Z$, $$\mathrm E(Z)=\int_0^{+\infty}\mathrm P(Z\geqslant z)\,\mathrm dz=\int_0^{+\infty}(1-\mathrm P(Z\leqslant z))\,\mathrm dz.$$
2. As soon as $X$ and $Y$ are independent, $$\mathrm P(\max(X,Y)\leqslant z)=\mathrm P(X\leqslant z)\,\mathrm P(Y\leqslant z).$$
3. If $U$ is uniform on $(0,1)$, then $a+(b-a)U$ is uniform on $(a,b)$.

If $(a,b)=(0,1)$, items 1. and 2. together yield $$\mathrm E(\max(X,Y))=\int_0^1(1-z^2)\,\mathrm dz=\frac23.$$ Then item 3. yields the general case, that is, $$\mathrm E(\max(X,Y))=a+\frac23(b-a)=\frac13(2b+a).$$

Solution 2:

I very much liked Martin's approach but there's an error with his integration. The key is on line three. The intution here should be that when y is the maximum, then x can vary from 0 to y whereas y can be anything and vice-versa for when x is the maximum. So the order of integration should be flipped:

Solution 3:

did's excellent answer proves the result. The picture here

may help your intuition. This is the "average" configuration of two random points on a interval and, as you see, the maximum value is two-thirds of the way from the left endpoint.