A fast algorithm to compute maximum likelihood estimates for the hypergeometric software reliability model

Abstract

We present a fast and exact algorithm to compute maximum likelihood estimates for the number of faults initially contained in a software, using the hypergeometric software reliability model. The algorithm is based on a rigorous mathematical analysis of the growth behavior of the likelihood function for the model. We also clarify the stochastic process underlying the model and prove a recursion formula which is central for most previous work on the hypergeometric software reliability model.