Better-than-average uniform random variables and Eulerian numbers, or: How many candidates should a voter approve?

Abstract

Consider $n$ independent random numbers with a uniform distribution on $[0,1]$. The number of them that exceed their mean is shown to have an Eulerian distribution, i.e., it is described by the Eulerian numbers. This is related to, but distinct from, the well known fact that the integer part of the sum of independent random numbers uniform on $[0,1]$ has an Eulerian distribution. One motivation for this problem comes from voting theory.