The observed growth rate of the optimal first-stage size is of the order of N to the power 0.96, which is quite different from the predicted 0.5.

The red line correponds to a square root growth rate. This is the growth rate that Noble suggests, and that is often suggested for 2-stage allocation. However, for this problem, and some others that we have examined, the optimal growth rate should be much larger.

Points of Interest Outline Stage Sizes