Chapter 10: Problem 24
From the gamma distribution $$ f(x)=\left\\{\begin{array}{ll} \frac{1}{\beta^{\alpha} \Gamma(\alpha)} x^{a-1} e^{-x / \beta}, & x>0 \\ 0, & x \leq 0 . \end{array}\right. $$ show that (a) \(\langle x\rangle\) (mean) \(=\alpha \beta\), (b) \(\sigma^{2}\left(\right.\) variance) \(=\left(x^{2}\right)-(x)^{2}=\alpha \beta^{2}\).
Short Answer
Step by step solution
Understanding the Gamma Probability Density Function (PDF)
Calculate the Mean \( \langle x \rangle \)
Calculate \( \langle x^2 \rangle \) for Variance Determination
Determine Variance \( \sigma^2 \)
Unlock Step-by-Step Solutions & Ace Your Exams!
-
Full Textbook Solutions
Get detailed explanations and key concepts
-
Unlimited Al creation
Al flashcards, explanations, exams and more...
-
Ads-free access
To over 500 millions flashcards
-
Money-back guarantee
We refund you if you fail your exam.
Over 30 million students worldwide already upgrade their learning with 91Ó°ÊÓ!
Key Concepts
These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.
Probability Density Function
- When \(x > 0\), the function is defined as \( f(x)= \frac{1}{\beta^{\alpha} \Gamma(\alpha)} x^{\alpha-1} e^{-x / \beta} \). This means the value of the PDF at \(x\) gives the relative likelihood of \(x\), provided it is positive.
- If \(x \leq 0\), the function equals 0, reflecting that the gamma distribution applies only to positive values.
Mean Calculation
- The mean is given by the integral of \( x \cdot f(x) \) over all possible values of \(x\), \[ \langle x \rangle = \int_0^\infty x \cdot f(x) \, dx \]
- This requires substituting the gamma function into the integral and using calculus to simplify it, ultimately revealing the mean as \(\alpha \beta\).
Variance Calculation
- Variance is derived from the formula: \[ \sigma^2 = \langle x^2 \rangle - \langle x \rangle^2 \] whereby substituting the values for \( \langle x^2 \rangle \) and the previously determined mean \(\alpha \beta\), results in \(\sigma^2 = \alpha \beta^2\).
Integral Calculus
- For calculating the mean, we perform the integral of \(x \cdot f(x)\) over its range, requiring the manipulation of the gamma PDF with integral methods.
- Variance computation also relies heavily on integrals, first determining \(\langle x^2 \rangle\) through direct integration of \(x^2 \cdot f(x)\), then applying subtraction in the derived formula for variance.