Runty_Grunty
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I've got a pretty good answer to this one already, yet I'd like to see how solid it is. I'll list the question first in quotes.
Here's my work below. I credit http://arxiv.org/PS_cache/arxiv/pdf/0909/0909.1685v4.pdf" for the answer.
[tex]X[/tex] and [tex]Y[/tex] are independent if and only if [tex]P(X=i,Y=j)=P(X=i)P(Y=j)[/tex] where [tex]i,j=0,1[/tex].
Two Bernoulli random variables are independent if and only if they are uncorrelated, and thus have a covariance of zero.
[tex]Corr(X,Y)=0\Leftrightarrow Cov(X,Y)=0[/tex]
Let [tex]p(x)[/tex] be the pmf of [tex]X[/tex], and let [tex]p(y)[/tex] be the pmf of [tex]Y[/tex].
If [tex]X[/tex] and [tex]Y[/tex] are independent then by definition
[tex]Cov(X,Y)=p(xy)-p(x)p(y)=P(X=i,Y=j)-P(X=i)P(Y=j)=0[/tex],
as [tex]P(X=i,Y=j)=P(X=i)P(Y=j)[/tex] for [tex]i,j=0,1[/tex].
If on the other hand we have that [tex]Cov(X,Y)=0[/tex], then
[tex]p(xy)-p(x)p(y)=0\Rightarrow p(xy)=p(x)p(y)[/tex].
Therefore, [tex]X[/tex] and [tex]Y[/tex] are independent.
This should properly answer the question, though I've been told by another source that summing up the marginal pmfs is also necessary to show independence. I don't know whether or not that's really necessary, though, and could use a second opinion.
Is there anything about my proof that could use improvement?
Show that two Bernoulli random variables [tex]X[/tex] and [tex]Y[/tex] are independent if and only if [tex]P(X=1,Y=1)=P(X=1)P(Y=1)[/tex].
Here's my work below. I credit http://arxiv.org/PS_cache/arxiv/pdf/0909/0909.1685v4.pdf" for the answer.
[tex]X[/tex] and [tex]Y[/tex] are independent if and only if [tex]P(X=i,Y=j)=P(X=i)P(Y=j)[/tex] where [tex]i,j=0,1[/tex].
Two Bernoulli random variables are independent if and only if they are uncorrelated, and thus have a covariance of zero.
[tex]Corr(X,Y)=0\Leftrightarrow Cov(X,Y)=0[/tex]
Let [tex]p(x)[/tex] be the pmf of [tex]X[/tex], and let [tex]p(y)[/tex] be the pmf of [tex]Y[/tex].
If [tex]X[/tex] and [tex]Y[/tex] are independent then by definition
[tex]Cov(X,Y)=p(xy)-p(x)p(y)=P(X=i,Y=j)-P(X=i)P(Y=j)=0[/tex],
as [tex]P(X=i,Y=j)=P(X=i)P(Y=j)[/tex] for [tex]i,j=0,1[/tex].
If on the other hand we have that [tex]Cov(X,Y)=0[/tex], then
[tex]p(xy)-p(x)p(y)=0\Rightarrow p(xy)=p(x)p(y)[/tex].
Therefore, [tex]X[/tex] and [tex]Y[/tex] are independent.
This should properly answer the question, though I've been told by another source that summing up the marginal pmfs is also necessary to show independence. I don't know whether or not that's really necessary, though, and could use a second opinion.
Is there anything about my proof that could use improvement?
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