Discrete random variable

Bernoulli trial

A Bernoulli trial is an experiment with two possible outcomes, namely success and failure. #m/def/prob For any event 𝐴 ∈F in a probability model has an associated Bernoulli random variable 1𝐴 called its indicator random variable1, where

1𝐴:𝐴↦{1}𝐴𝑐↦{0}

We say 1𝐴 ∼Bern⁡(𝑝) where 𝑝 =ℙ(𝐴). The sum of repeated independent but identical Bernoulli trials follows a Binomial distribution.

Properties

Let 𝑋 ∼Bern⁡(𝑝) and 𝑞 =1 −𝑝

  1. Expectation: 𝜇 =𝔼⁡[𝑋] =𝑝
  2. Variance: 𝜎2 =Var⁡[𝑋] =𝑝𝑞
  3. Moment-generating function: 𝑀𝑋 :ℝ →ℝ :𝑡 ↦𝑝𝑒𝑡 +𝑞
  4. Probability generating function: 𝑔𝑋(𝑡) =𝑝𝑡 +𝑞

We have the further properties

  1. 𝑋𝑘 =𝑋 for any 𝑘 ∈ℕ

Indicator random variables

Let 𝐴,𝐵 ∈F in a probability model

  1. 1𝐴𝑐 =1 −1𝐴
  2. 1𝐴∩𝐵 =1𝐴1𝐵
  3. 1𝐴∪𝐵 =1𝐴 +1𝐵 −1𝐴1𝐵
  4. 𝔼⁡[1𝐴] =ℙ(𝐴)


#state/tidy | #SemBr | #lang/en

Footnotes

  1. This is a special case of an indicator function. ↩