From the fact that a series-parallel systemmade up of components has a complicated state space
and transfer-probability matrix, the element classification and structural characteristic of the transfer-
probability matrix of a series-parallel system with only a set of repair equipment were investigated. To
describe the change ofthe transfer-probabilitymatrix, the conceptofgrowingmatrixwas introduced, and the
change regularity of the transfer-probabilitymatrix, resulted fromthe variation of components in the system,
was gained.