STAT 410
Fall 2016
Functions of One Random Variable
Let X be a continuous random variable.
Let Y = g ( X ).
What is the probability distribution of Y ?
Cumulative Distribution Function approach:
FY( y ) = P( Y y ) = P( g( X ) y ) =
f X ( x ) dx
{ x: g (x ) y }
Moment-Generating Function approach:
Y t
) = E ( e g( X ) t ) =
MY( t ) = E( e
(x ) t f ( x ) dx
X
Change-of-Variable Technique:
X continuous r.v. with p.d.f. f X ( x ).
Y = g( X)
dx
1.
g ( x ) one-to-one, differentiable
/d y = d [ g
1( y ) ]
/d y
f Y ( y ) = f X ( g 1( y ) )
dx
dy
Consider a continuous random variable X with p.d.f.
5
f X ( x ) = 6 x
0 < x <1
o.w.
Find the probability distribution of Y = 1 X 2 .
2.
Consider a continuous random variable X with p.d.f.
2x
0
fX( x ) =
0 < x <1
o.w.
a)
Find the probability distribution of Y =
X.
b)
Find the probability distribution of W =
1
.
X +1
3.
Consider a continuous random variable X with the p.d.f. f X ( x ) =
Find the probability distribution of Y = 1 X 2 .
24
x4
, x > 2.
4.
The p.d.f. of X is
f X ( x ) = x 1, 0 < x < 1, 0 < < . Let Y = 2 ln X.
How is Y distributed?
a)
Determine the probability distribution of Y by finding the c.d.f. of Y
F Y ( y ) = P ( Y y ) = P ( 2 ln X y ).
Hint: Find F X ( x ) first.
b)
Determine the probability distribution of Y by finding the m.g.f. of Y
M Y ( t ) = E ( e Y t ) = E ( e 2 ln X t ).
c)
Determine the probability distribution of Y by finding the p.d.f. of Y, f Y ( y ),
using the change-of-variable technique.
5.
Let Z be a N ( 0, 1 ) standard normal random variable.
Show that X = Z 2 has a chi-square distribution with 1 degree of freedom.
6.
Consider a continuous random variable X with p.d.f.
0.2
f X ( x ) = 0.3
0
3 < x < 1
0< x<2
otherwise
Find the probability distribution of Y = X 2.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Consider a continuous random variable X, with p.d.f. f and c.d.f. F, where F is strictly
increasing on some interval I, F = 0 to the left of I, and F = 1 to the right of I. I may be a
bounded interval or an unbounded interval such as the whole real line. F 1 ( u ) is then well
defined for 0 < u < 1.
Fact 1:
Let U ~ Uniform ( 0, 1 ), and let X = F 1 ( U ). Then the c.d.f. of X is F.
P ( X x ) = P ( F 1 ( U ) x ) = P ( U F ( x ) ) = F ( x ).
Proof:
Fact 2:
Let U = F ( X ); then U has a Uniform ( 0, 1 ) distribution.
Proof:
P ( U u ) = P ( F ( X ) u ) = P ( X F 1 ( u ) ) = F ( F 1 ( u ) ) = u.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Useful facts:
Def
( x ) =
x 1 e u du ,
x > 0.
( 1 ) = 1.
( x ) = ( x 1 ) ( x 1 ),
( n ) = ( n 1 )!
1
=
2
x > 1.
if n is an integer.