What is a Markov chain?

Updated May 17, 2026

Short answer

A Markov chain is a stochastic process where future states depend only on the current state.

Deep explanation

Markov chains satisfy the Markov property: memorylessness. Transition probabilities define movement between states. They are widely used in modeling sequential systems.

Real-world example

Web page ranking (PageRank algorithm).

Common mistakes

  • Assuming past states influence transitions.

Follow-up questions

  • What is Markov property?
  • What is transition matrix?

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