Probability MT22, Variance and covariance


Flashcards

@State the two equivalent definitions of $\mathrm{Var}(X)$.

\[\mathrm{Var}(X) = \mathbb{E}[(X - \mathbb{E}[X])^2] = \mathbb{E}[X^2] - (\mathbb{E}[X])^2\]

How can you interpret the variance of a random variable?

The average squared distance from the mean.

What is $\mathrm{Var}(aX + b)$?

\[a^2 \mathrm{Var}(X)\]

Given that $X$ and $Y$ are independent, what is the formula for $\mathbb{E}[XY]$?

\[\mathbb{E}[XY] = \mathbb{E}[X]\mathbb{E}[Y]\]

@State the two equivalent definitions for $\mathrm{Cov}(X, Y)$.

\[\mathrm{Cov}(X, Y) = \mathbb{E}[(X - \mathbb{E}[X])(Y-\mathbb{E}[Y])] = \mathbb{E}[XY] - \mathbb{E}[X]\mathbb{E}[Y]\]

Given that $X$ and $Y$ are independent, what is $\mathrm{Cov}(X, Y)$?

\[0\]

If $X$ and $Y$ are independent, then $\mathrm{Cov}(X, Y) = 0$. Is the converse true?

No.

What is $\mathrm{Var}(X+Y)$?

\[\mathrm{Var}(X+Y) = \mathrm{Var}(X) + \mathrm{Var}(Y) + 2\mathrm{Cov}(X, Y)\]

What is $\mathrm{Cov}(X,X)$?

\[\mathrm{Var}(X)\]