Error when trying to derive variance of sample mean
Assume that $X$ is a random variable with mean $E[X]$ variance $sigma^2$. Let $mu = frac{1}{N}sum_{n=1}^N X_n$, where $X_n$ is i.i.d with respect to $n$ having mean $E[X]$ and variance $sigma^2$, be an estimator of $E[X]$. I tried to show that $Variance(E[X] - mu) = frac{sigma^2}{N}$ but I have made some error which I'm blind to... An approach which yields the correct answer can be found at
http://sepwww.stanford.edu/sep/prof/pvi/rand/paper_html/node16.html.
I'm proceeding as follows:
Let $e = E[X]-mu$ then
begin{align}
Variance(e) &= E[(e -E[e])^2] \
&= E[e^2] - E[e]^2 \
&= E[e^2] & text{unbiased estimator} \
&= E[(E[X]-mu)^2] \
&= E[E[X]^2 - E[X]mu + mu^2] \
&= E[mu^2] - E[X]^2 & text{since }E[mu] = E[X] \
&= Eleft[left(frac{1}{N}sum_{n=1}^N X_nright)^2right] - E[X]^2 \
&= Eleft[frac{1}{N^2}sum_{m=1}^Nsum_{n=1}^N X_m X_nright] - E[X]^2 \
&= left(frac{1}{N^2}sum_{m=1}^Nsum_{n=1}^N E[X_m X_n]right) - E[X]^2 \
&= left(frac{1}{N^2}sum_{n=1}^N E[X_n^2]right) - E[X]^2 & text{due to independence} \
&= left(frac{1}{N^2}sum_{n=1}^N E[X^2]right) - E[X]^2 & text{from assumption on distr. of $X_n$} \
&= frac{1}{N} E[X^2] - E[X]^2 \
&= frac{1}{N} E[X^2] - E[X]^2 \
&= frac{1}{N} (sigma^2 + E[X]^2) - E[X]^2 \
&= frac{sigma^2}{N} + (frac{1}{N} - 1) E[X]^2 \
end{align}
EDIT:
Correcting the error pointed out by NCh gives the correct answer. Continuing from the 9th row
begin{align}
&= left(frac{1}{N^2}sum_{m=1}^Nsum_{n=1}^N E[X_m X_n]right) - E[X]^2 \
&= frac{1}{N^2}left(left(sum_{n=1}^N E[X_n^2]right) + left(sum_{m=1}^Nsum_{nin{1,dots,N}-{m}} E[X_m]E[X_n]right)right) - E[X]^2 & text{due to independence} \
&= frac{1}{N^2}left(left(sum_{n=1}^N E[X^2]right) + left(sum_{m=1}^Nsum_{nin{1,dots,N}-{m}} E[X]^2right)right) - E[X]^2 & text{from assumption on distr. of $X_n$} \
&= frac{1}{N^2}(NE[X^2] + N(N-1)E[X]^2) - E[X] \
&= frac{1}{N}(E[X^2] - E[X]^2) \
&= frac{sigma^2}{N} \
end{align}
probability statistics self-learning estimation expected-value
add a comment |
Assume that $X$ is a random variable with mean $E[X]$ variance $sigma^2$. Let $mu = frac{1}{N}sum_{n=1}^N X_n$, where $X_n$ is i.i.d with respect to $n$ having mean $E[X]$ and variance $sigma^2$, be an estimator of $E[X]$. I tried to show that $Variance(E[X] - mu) = frac{sigma^2}{N}$ but I have made some error which I'm blind to... An approach which yields the correct answer can be found at
http://sepwww.stanford.edu/sep/prof/pvi/rand/paper_html/node16.html.
I'm proceeding as follows:
Let $e = E[X]-mu$ then
begin{align}
Variance(e) &= E[(e -E[e])^2] \
&= E[e^2] - E[e]^2 \
&= E[e^2] & text{unbiased estimator} \
&= E[(E[X]-mu)^2] \
&= E[E[X]^2 - E[X]mu + mu^2] \
&= E[mu^2] - E[X]^2 & text{since }E[mu] = E[X] \
&= Eleft[left(frac{1}{N}sum_{n=1}^N X_nright)^2right] - E[X]^2 \
&= Eleft[frac{1}{N^2}sum_{m=1}^Nsum_{n=1}^N X_m X_nright] - E[X]^2 \
&= left(frac{1}{N^2}sum_{m=1}^Nsum_{n=1}^N E[X_m X_n]right) - E[X]^2 \
&= left(frac{1}{N^2}sum_{n=1}^N E[X_n^2]right) - E[X]^2 & text{due to independence} \
&= left(frac{1}{N^2}sum_{n=1}^N E[X^2]right) - E[X]^2 & text{from assumption on distr. of $X_n$} \
&= frac{1}{N} E[X^2] - E[X]^2 \
&= frac{1}{N} E[X^2] - E[X]^2 \
&= frac{1}{N} (sigma^2 + E[X]^2) - E[X]^2 \
&= frac{sigma^2}{N} + (frac{1}{N} - 1) E[X]^2 \
end{align}
EDIT:
Correcting the error pointed out by NCh gives the correct answer. Continuing from the 9th row
begin{align}
&= left(frac{1}{N^2}sum_{m=1}^Nsum_{n=1}^N E[X_m X_n]right) - E[X]^2 \
&= frac{1}{N^2}left(left(sum_{n=1}^N E[X_n^2]right) + left(sum_{m=1}^Nsum_{nin{1,dots,N}-{m}} E[X_m]E[X_n]right)right) - E[X]^2 & text{due to independence} \
&= frac{1}{N^2}left(left(sum_{n=1}^N E[X^2]right) + left(sum_{m=1}^Nsum_{nin{1,dots,N}-{m}} E[X]^2right)right) - E[X]^2 & text{from assumption on distr. of $X_n$} \
&= frac{1}{N^2}(NE[X^2] + N(N-1)E[X]^2) - E[X] \
&= frac{1}{N}(E[X^2] - E[X]^2) \
&= frac{sigma^2}{N} \
end{align}
probability statistics self-learning estimation expected-value
add a comment |
Assume that $X$ is a random variable with mean $E[X]$ variance $sigma^2$. Let $mu = frac{1}{N}sum_{n=1}^N X_n$, where $X_n$ is i.i.d with respect to $n$ having mean $E[X]$ and variance $sigma^2$, be an estimator of $E[X]$. I tried to show that $Variance(E[X] - mu) = frac{sigma^2}{N}$ but I have made some error which I'm blind to... An approach which yields the correct answer can be found at
http://sepwww.stanford.edu/sep/prof/pvi/rand/paper_html/node16.html.
I'm proceeding as follows:
Let $e = E[X]-mu$ then
begin{align}
Variance(e) &= E[(e -E[e])^2] \
&= E[e^2] - E[e]^2 \
&= E[e^2] & text{unbiased estimator} \
&= E[(E[X]-mu)^2] \
&= E[E[X]^2 - E[X]mu + mu^2] \
&= E[mu^2] - E[X]^2 & text{since }E[mu] = E[X] \
&= Eleft[left(frac{1}{N}sum_{n=1}^N X_nright)^2right] - E[X]^2 \
&= Eleft[frac{1}{N^2}sum_{m=1}^Nsum_{n=1}^N X_m X_nright] - E[X]^2 \
&= left(frac{1}{N^2}sum_{m=1}^Nsum_{n=1}^N E[X_m X_n]right) - E[X]^2 \
&= left(frac{1}{N^2}sum_{n=1}^N E[X_n^2]right) - E[X]^2 & text{due to independence} \
&= left(frac{1}{N^2}sum_{n=1}^N E[X^2]right) - E[X]^2 & text{from assumption on distr. of $X_n$} \
&= frac{1}{N} E[X^2] - E[X]^2 \
&= frac{1}{N} E[X^2] - E[X]^2 \
&= frac{1}{N} (sigma^2 + E[X]^2) - E[X]^2 \
&= frac{sigma^2}{N} + (frac{1}{N} - 1) E[X]^2 \
end{align}
EDIT:
Correcting the error pointed out by NCh gives the correct answer. Continuing from the 9th row
begin{align}
&= left(frac{1}{N^2}sum_{m=1}^Nsum_{n=1}^N E[X_m X_n]right) - E[X]^2 \
&= frac{1}{N^2}left(left(sum_{n=1}^N E[X_n^2]right) + left(sum_{m=1}^Nsum_{nin{1,dots,N}-{m}} E[X_m]E[X_n]right)right) - E[X]^2 & text{due to independence} \
&= frac{1}{N^2}left(left(sum_{n=1}^N E[X^2]right) + left(sum_{m=1}^Nsum_{nin{1,dots,N}-{m}} E[X]^2right)right) - E[X]^2 & text{from assumption on distr. of $X_n$} \
&= frac{1}{N^2}(NE[X^2] + N(N-1)E[X]^2) - E[X] \
&= frac{1}{N}(E[X^2] - E[X]^2) \
&= frac{sigma^2}{N} \
end{align}
probability statistics self-learning estimation expected-value
Assume that $X$ is a random variable with mean $E[X]$ variance $sigma^2$. Let $mu = frac{1}{N}sum_{n=1}^N X_n$, where $X_n$ is i.i.d with respect to $n$ having mean $E[X]$ and variance $sigma^2$, be an estimator of $E[X]$. I tried to show that $Variance(E[X] - mu) = frac{sigma^2}{N}$ but I have made some error which I'm blind to... An approach which yields the correct answer can be found at
http://sepwww.stanford.edu/sep/prof/pvi/rand/paper_html/node16.html.
I'm proceeding as follows:
Let $e = E[X]-mu$ then
begin{align}
Variance(e) &= E[(e -E[e])^2] \
&= E[e^2] - E[e]^2 \
&= E[e^2] & text{unbiased estimator} \
&= E[(E[X]-mu)^2] \
&= E[E[X]^2 - E[X]mu + mu^2] \
&= E[mu^2] - E[X]^2 & text{since }E[mu] = E[X] \
&= Eleft[left(frac{1}{N}sum_{n=1}^N X_nright)^2right] - E[X]^2 \
&= Eleft[frac{1}{N^2}sum_{m=1}^Nsum_{n=1}^N X_m X_nright] - E[X]^2 \
&= left(frac{1}{N^2}sum_{m=1}^Nsum_{n=1}^N E[X_m X_n]right) - E[X]^2 \
&= left(frac{1}{N^2}sum_{n=1}^N E[X_n^2]right) - E[X]^2 & text{due to independence} \
&= left(frac{1}{N^2}sum_{n=1}^N E[X^2]right) - E[X]^2 & text{from assumption on distr. of $X_n$} \
&= frac{1}{N} E[X^2] - E[X]^2 \
&= frac{1}{N} E[X^2] - E[X]^2 \
&= frac{1}{N} (sigma^2 + E[X]^2) - E[X]^2 \
&= frac{sigma^2}{N} + (frac{1}{N} - 1) E[X]^2 \
end{align}
EDIT:
Correcting the error pointed out by NCh gives the correct answer. Continuing from the 9th row
begin{align}
&= left(frac{1}{N^2}sum_{m=1}^Nsum_{n=1}^N E[X_m X_n]right) - E[X]^2 \
&= frac{1}{N^2}left(left(sum_{n=1}^N E[X_n^2]right) + left(sum_{m=1}^Nsum_{nin{1,dots,N}-{m}} E[X_m]E[X_n]right)right) - E[X]^2 & text{due to independence} \
&= frac{1}{N^2}left(left(sum_{n=1}^N E[X^2]right) + left(sum_{m=1}^Nsum_{nin{1,dots,N}-{m}} E[X]^2right)right) - E[X]^2 & text{from assumption on distr. of $X_n$} \
&= frac{1}{N^2}(NE[X^2] + N(N-1)E[X]^2) - E[X] \
&= frac{1}{N}(E[X^2] - E[X]^2) \
&= frac{sigma^2}{N} \
end{align}
probability statistics self-learning estimation expected-value
probability statistics self-learning estimation expected-value
edited Dec 4 '18 at 8:04
asked Dec 3 '18 at 14:10
Angelos
788
788
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An error is when you went from 9th to 10th raw:
$$mathbb E[X_m X_n]neq mathbb E[X_n^2]$$
for $mneq n$.
By independence,
$$mathbb E[X_m X_n]=mathbb E[X_m]mathbb E[X_n]=mathbb E[X]^2$$
Note also that by properties of variance,
$$
Var(E[X]-mu) = Var(mu) = Varleft(frac{sum_{i=1}^N X_i}{N}right) = frac{1}{N^2} Varleft(sum_{i=1}^N X_iright) = frac{1}{N^2} left(sum_{i=1}^N Var(X_i)right) = frac{N sigma^2}{N^2} = frac{sigma^2}{N}
$$
add a comment |
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1 Answer
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1 Answer
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active
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An error is when you went from 9th to 10th raw:
$$mathbb E[X_m X_n]neq mathbb E[X_n^2]$$
for $mneq n$.
By independence,
$$mathbb E[X_m X_n]=mathbb E[X_m]mathbb E[X_n]=mathbb E[X]^2$$
Note also that by properties of variance,
$$
Var(E[X]-mu) = Var(mu) = Varleft(frac{sum_{i=1}^N X_i}{N}right) = frac{1}{N^2} Varleft(sum_{i=1}^N X_iright) = frac{1}{N^2} left(sum_{i=1}^N Var(X_i)right) = frac{N sigma^2}{N^2} = frac{sigma^2}{N}
$$
add a comment |
An error is when you went from 9th to 10th raw:
$$mathbb E[X_m X_n]neq mathbb E[X_n^2]$$
for $mneq n$.
By independence,
$$mathbb E[X_m X_n]=mathbb E[X_m]mathbb E[X_n]=mathbb E[X]^2$$
Note also that by properties of variance,
$$
Var(E[X]-mu) = Var(mu) = Varleft(frac{sum_{i=1}^N X_i}{N}right) = frac{1}{N^2} Varleft(sum_{i=1}^N X_iright) = frac{1}{N^2} left(sum_{i=1}^N Var(X_i)right) = frac{N sigma^2}{N^2} = frac{sigma^2}{N}
$$
add a comment |
An error is when you went from 9th to 10th raw:
$$mathbb E[X_m X_n]neq mathbb E[X_n^2]$$
for $mneq n$.
By independence,
$$mathbb E[X_m X_n]=mathbb E[X_m]mathbb E[X_n]=mathbb E[X]^2$$
Note also that by properties of variance,
$$
Var(E[X]-mu) = Var(mu) = Varleft(frac{sum_{i=1}^N X_i}{N}right) = frac{1}{N^2} Varleft(sum_{i=1}^N X_iright) = frac{1}{N^2} left(sum_{i=1}^N Var(X_i)right) = frac{N sigma^2}{N^2} = frac{sigma^2}{N}
$$
An error is when you went from 9th to 10th raw:
$$mathbb E[X_m X_n]neq mathbb E[X_n^2]$$
for $mneq n$.
By independence,
$$mathbb E[X_m X_n]=mathbb E[X_m]mathbb E[X_n]=mathbb E[X]^2$$
Note also that by properties of variance,
$$
Var(E[X]-mu) = Var(mu) = Varleft(frac{sum_{i=1}^N X_i}{N}right) = frac{1}{N^2} Varleft(sum_{i=1}^N X_iright) = frac{1}{N^2} left(sum_{i=1}^N Var(X_i)right) = frac{N sigma^2}{N^2} = frac{sigma^2}{N}
$$
answered Dec 4 '18 at 3:07
NCh
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6,2682723
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