Indian Institute of Technology, Ropar
Department of Mathematics
MA202: Probability and Statistics
2nd Semester of Academic Year 2024-25
Tutorial Sheet 6: Generating Functions contd.
1. Let 𝑋1 , 𝑋2 , ..., 𝑋𝑛 be independent random variables such that
1
𝑃 (𝑋𝑘 = 𝑥) = , 𝑥 = 0, 1, 2, ..., 𝑎 − 1 ; 𝑘 = 1, 2, 3, ..., 𝑛.
𝑎
Find the probability generating function of 𝑆𝑛 = 𝑋1 + 𝑋2 + 𝑋3 + ... + 𝑋𝑛 .
2. Which of the following cannot be a characteristic function of a random variable X ? Explain.
(i) 𝜙𝑋 (𝑡) = | sin 𝑡|
3 𝑖𝑡 𝑖𝑡
(ii) 𝜙𝑋 (𝑡) = ( 10 𝑒 + 1) 𝑒5(𝑒 −1)
3. Consider a random variable 𝑋 with 𝐸(𝑋) = 1 and 𝐸(𝑋 2 ) = 1. Find
(a) 𝐸[(𝑋 − 𝐸[𝑋])4 ], if it exists.
(b) 𝑃 (0 < 𝑋 < 2).
4. Let 𝑋 be a discrete type random variable with characteristic function given by 𝜙𝑋 (𝑡) = 𝑎 + 𝑏𝑒2𝑖𝑡 + 𝑐𝑒4𝑖𝑡 . Assume that
𝐸(𝑋) = 3 and 𝑉 𝑎𝑟(𝑋) = 2. Find the probability mass function of 𝑋.
5. Show that if 𝑋 is a continuous random variable, then
mín 𝔼|𝑋 − 𝑎| = 𝔼|𝑋 − 𝑚|
𝑎
where 𝑚 is the median of 𝑋.
6. Let 𝑀𝑋 (𝑡) be the moment generating function of a random variable 𝑋. Define
𝑆(𝑡) = log𝑒 [𝑀𝑋 (𝑡)].
Show that
𝑑
𝑆(𝑡)| = 𝔼(𝑋)
𝑑𝑡 𝑡=0
and
𝑑2
𝑆(𝑡) = Var(𝑋).
𝑑𝑡2 |𝑡=0
7. Let 𝑋 be a continuous random variable. Show that
∞ ∞
𝐸(𝑋) = 𝑃 (𝑋 > 𝑥) 𝑑𝑥 − 𝑃 (𝑋 < −𝑥) 𝑑𝑥.
∫0 ∫0
8. Let 𝑋 be a random variable with probability density function (pdf):
1
2𝑎
, −𝑎 ≤ 𝑥 ≤ 𝑎
𝑓 (𝑥) =
{0, otherwise.
Find the first four central moments. Hence, determine the coefficients of skewness and kurtosis and interpret your results.
9. Consider the probability generating function (PGF)
(1 + 𝑠)𝑛
𝑃 (𝑠) = , −∞ < 𝑠 < ∞
2𝑛
Determine the corresponding probability mass function (PMF).
10. Let X be random variable with probability density function (pdf):
1 𝑥2
𝑓𝑋 (𝑥) = exp −
√2𝜋 ( 2)
Show that the characteristic function of 𝑋 is given by
𝑡2
𝜙𝑋 (𝑡) = exp −
( 2)
11. A coin is tossed until a head appears. What is the expectation of number of tosses?
12. Let 𝑋 denote the minimum of two numbers that appear when a pair of the dice is thrown once. Determine the
Discrete probability distribution
Expectation
Variance.
13. The probability generating functions of discrete random variables 𝑋 and 𝑌 are given by:
2 1
𝐺𝑋 (𝑡) = (1 + 2𝑡 + 3𝑡2 )2 , 𝐺𝑌 (𝑡) = (𝑡 + 𝑡2 )
3 2
Given that 𝑋 and 𝑌 are independent, find the probability generating function of 𝑍 = 𝑋 + 𝑌 .
14. Consider the random variable 𝑋 which has the PMF:
1
9
, if 𝑥 ∈ ℤ ∩ [−4, 4]
𝑓𝑋 (𝑥) =
{0, otherwise
where ℤ is the set of integers. Find:
𝔼(𝑋)
𝔼(máx{𝑋, 0})
𝔼[(𝑋 − 𝔼(𝑋))2 ]
Best Wishes
Page 2