def p_maxlh(n,k):
    """
    Calculates the maximum likelihood estimator for the kth sample
    of n total samples.
    
    Args:
        n: the number of samples from the random variable, X
        k: the hierarchical position of the sample when ordered
            k in [0,n)
    Returns:
        the maximum likelihood estimator, p_hat, such that
        Lhood(Prob(X < Xk) = p_hat) is maximized
    Raises:
        N/A
    """
    return (k+.5) / n