Convergence in Probability am I doing something wrong?

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SUMMARY

The discussion centers on the moment generating function (mgf) of the random variable \( Y_n = \sqrt{n}(\bar{X_n} - 1) \), where \( \bar{X_n} \) is the sample mean from a distribution with pdf \( f(x) = e^{-x} \) for \( 0 < x < \infty \). The correct mgf is derived as \( M_{Y_n}(t) = [e^{t/\sqrt{n}} - (t/\sqrt{n})e^{t/\sqrt{n}}]^{-n} \). Participants clarify that the distribution of the sample mean is \( \frac{1}{n}\Gamma(n,1) \) rather than \( \Gamma(n,1) \), emphasizing the need to divide by \( n \) due to the definition of the sample mean.

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Homework Statement



Let [itex]\bar{X_n}[/itex] denote the mean of a random sample of size n from a distribution that has pdf [itex]f(x) = e^{-x}[/itex], [itex]0<x<\infty[/itex], zero elsewhere.

a) Show that the mgf of [itex]Y_n=\sqrt{n}(\bar{X_n}-1)[/itex] is [itex]M_{Y_n}(t) = [e^{t/\sqrt{n}} - (t/\sqrt{n})e^{t/\sqrt{n}}]^{-n}[/itex], [itex]t < \sqrt{n}[/itex] b) Find the limiting distribution [itex]Y_n[/itex] as [itex]n \rightarrow \infty[/itex]

Homework Equations


The Attempt at a Solution



a) We know that the pdf of [itex]\bar{X_n}[/itex] is [itex]\Gamma(n,1)[/itex]

[itex]M_{Y_n}(t) = (\frac{1}{1-t})^n[/itex]

[itex]M_{Y_n}(t) = E(e^{tY_n}) = E(e^{t\sqrt{n}(\bar{X_n}-1)} = e^{-t\sqrt{n}}E(e^{t\sqrt{n}\bar{X_n}})[/itex]

MGF of [itex]\bar{X_n}[/itex] evaluated at [itex]t\sqrt{n}[/itex]

[itex]=e^{-t\sqrt{n}}(\frac{1}{1-t\sqrt{n}})^n = ((e^{t/\sqrt{n}})(1-t\sqrt{n}))^{-n}[/itex]

This does not match the answer they give because t is multiplied by [itex]\sqrt{n}[/itex] instead of being divided by it. But I just can't see where I went wrong...

Thanks in advance
 
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The sum of n independent Exp(1) is Gamma(n,1), so if I'm not mistaken, the distribution of the mean is 1/n*Gamma(n,1) instead of Gamma(n,1).
 
csopi said:
The sum of n independent Exp(1) is Gamma(n,1), so if I'm not mistaken, the distribution of the mean is 1/n*Gamma(n,1) instead of Gamma(n,1).

Thanks a lot. Can you explain a little more about why it needs to be [itex]\frac{1}{n}\Gamma(n,1)[/itex]?

Is it because the sample mean is [itex]\frac{X_1 + X_2 + ... + X_n}{n}[/itex]? And since we know that the sum of n independent Exp(1) is Gamma(n,1), [itex]X_1 + ... + X_n = \Gamma(n,1)[/itex], right? Is that why we divide by n?
 

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