A different discrete normal distribution

In summary, the article discusses the discrete normal distribution (dNormal) and its relationship to the normal variate X. It explores the possibility of a closed form for the expectation and variance of X, and whether a dNormal variate of a different form is possible. The article concludes that there is no closed form for the expectation or variance of X due to the use of the cumulative normal distribution function in the probability mass function. Additionally, the expectation of X is equal to μ, but the variance may not be equal to σ^2. Further research is needed to determine the exact relationship between the two distributions.
  • #1
Ad VanderVen
169
13
TL;DR Summary
Is a particular variant of Roy's discrete normal distribution also possible?
In the article A Discrete Normal Distribution of Dilip Roy in the journal COMMUNICATION IN STATISTICS Theory and methods Vol. 32, no. 10, pp. 1871-1883, 2003 one can read:

A discrete normal (##dNormal##) variate, ##dX##, can be viewed as the
discrete concentration of the normal variate ##X## following ##N(\mu,\sigma)## when the corresponding probability mass function of ##dX## can be written as
$$\displaystyle p \left(x \right) \, = \, \Phi((x+1-\mu)/\sigma) - \Phi((x-\mu)/\sigma) \hspace{3ex} x \, = \, \dots, \, -1, \, 0, \, +1, \, \dots$$
where ##\Phi(x)## represents the cumulative distribution function of the normal deviate ##Z##.
My first question is, is there a closed form for the expectation and variance of ##X##?
My second question is, is a discrete normal (##dNormal##) variate of the form
$$\displaystyle p \left(x \right) \, = \, \Phi((x+1/2-\mu)/\sigma) - \Phi((x-1/2-\mu)/\sigma) \hspace{3ex} x \, = \, \dots, \, -1, \, 0, \, +1, \, \dots$$
also possible and what is then the expectation and variance of ##X##? I suspect that the expectation of ##X## is equal to ##\mu##. But I don't know if the variance is equal to ##\sigma^2##.
 
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  • #2
If E[X]=Σ p(X)*X, there is no closed end form for p(x) as it contains the cumulative normal dist function, so there should not be a closed end form for the expectation or variance

For the expectation =μ
set μ = 0 and σ = 1
then

##\displaystyle p \left(x \right) \, = \, \Phi(x+1) - \Phi(x) \hspace{3ex} x \, = \, \dots, \, -1, \, 0, \, +1, \, \dots##

then look at x=-1,0,1
on a continuous standard normal, the expectation of p(x) for X = [-1,1] = 0, same as for any interval symmetric around zero
but for above on the discrete normal,
E(x) = p(-1)*-1 + p(0)*0 +p(1)*1
E(x) = -.341 + 0 + .136 <> μ
 
  • #3
What about my seecond question?
 

1. What is a discrete normal distribution?

A discrete normal distribution is a probability distribution that describes the likelihood of a discrete random variable taking on a certain set of values. It is based on the normal distribution, which is a continuous probability distribution.

2. How is a discrete normal distribution different from a continuous normal distribution?

A discrete normal distribution differs from a continuous normal distribution in that it only takes on a finite or countably infinite set of values, while a continuous normal distribution can take on any value within a given range. Additionally, the probability of each value in a discrete normal distribution is calculated using a probability mass function, while a continuous normal distribution uses a probability density function.

3. What are some real-world examples of a discrete normal distribution?

Some real-world examples of a discrete normal distribution include the number of heads obtained when flipping a coin, the number of customers arriving at a store in a given time period, and the number of defects in a batch of products.

4. How is a discrete normal distribution used in statistical analysis?

A discrete normal distribution is often used in statistical analysis to model and analyze data that is discrete in nature. It can be used to calculate probabilities, determine confidence intervals, and make predictions based on a given set of data.

5. What are the assumptions for a discrete normal distribution?

The main assumptions for a discrete normal distribution are that the data is independent, the sample size is large enough, and the data is normally distributed. Additionally, the values in the data set must be discrete and the probability of each value must be known or able to be calculated.

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