Discrete type normal distribution

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the properties of a discrete type normal distribution defined by a specific probability mass function. Participants are exploring how to prove certain equalities related to the distribution's normalization, expectation, and variance.

Discussion Character

  • Technical explanation, Debate/contested, Mathematical reasoning

Main Points Raised

  • One participant presents a probability distribution and asks for proof of its normalization and properties related to expectation and variance.
  • Another participant questions whether the provided formula is assumed to be a valid probability distribution or if the goal is to prove its validity.
  • Some participants express skepticism about the validity of the distribution, citing numerical results that suggest the probabilities do not sum to 1 for specific parameters.
  • A participant mentions using Poisson's summation formula to derive expressions that are claimed to be exact, contrasting them with the original formulas which are said to be approximately correct.
  • There are discussions about the implications of Fourier transforms and their relationship to the properties of the distribution.
  • Some participants clarify misunderstandings regarding the nature of approximations versus exact results in the context of the derived expressions.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants do not reach a consensus. There are competing views on the validity of the original probability distribution and the correctness of the derived equalities. Some participants assert that the original formulas are not exact, while others defend their validity under certain conditions.

Contextual Notes

There are unresolved issues regarding the assumptions made about the distribution, the conditions under which the derived expressions hold, and the specific values of parameters that may affect the validity of the claims.

Ad VanderVen
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TL;DR
How to prove that a certain discrete type normal distribution has as expectation ##\mu## and variance ##\sigma^2##.
The following is given:
$$\displaystyle P(K = k) = \frac{1}{2}~\frac{\sqrt{2}~e^{-\frac{1}{2}~\frac{\left(k -\mu \right)^{2}}{\sigma ^{2}}}}{\sigma ~\sqrt{\pi }}$$
How can you prove that the following equalities are correct?
$$\displaystyle \sum _{k=-\infty }^{\infty }1/2\,{\frac { \sqrt{2}}{\sigma\, \sqrt{\pi }}{{\rm e}^{-1/2\,{\frac { \left( k-\mu \right) ^{2}}{{\sigma}^{2}}}}}}=1,$$
$$\displaystyle \sum _{k=-\infty }^{\infty }1/2\,{\frac {k \sqrt{2}}{\sigma\, \sqrt{\pi }}{{\rm e}^{-1/2\,{\frac { \left( k-\mu \right) ^{2}}{{\sigma}^{2}}}}}}=\mu,$$
and
$$\displaystyle \sum _{k=-\infty }^{\infty }1/2\,{\frac { \left( k-\mu \right) ^{2} \sqrt{2} }{\sigma\, \sqrt{\pi }}{{\rm e}^{-1/2\,{\frac { \left( k-\mu \right) ^{2}}{{\sigma}^{2}}}}}}={\sigma}^{2}$$
 
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Are you assuming that the formula you are given is a probability distribution with that mean and expectation, or are you trying to prove that it works?
 
Office_Shredder said:
Are you assuming that the formula you are given is a probability distribution with that mean and expectation, or are you trying to prove that it works?
I assume that the formula I have given describes a discrete probability distribution with expectation ##\mu## and standard deviation ##\sigma## and my question is whether that assumption is correct.

Reference: https://www.physicsforums.com/threads/discrete-type-normal-distribution.1046309/
 
Office_Shredder said:
I don't think this actually works?
For example when ##\mu=0## and ##\sigma=1##, unless I typo'd the probabilities only add up to about 0.57

https://www.wolframalpha.com/input?i=sum_{k=-infty}^{infty}+sqrt(2)/(2pi)+e^(-(k^2)/2)
Sorry, but with ##\mu = 0## and ##\sigma = 1## I obtain with Maple:
$$\displaystyle \sum _{x=-1000}^{1000}1/2\,{\frac { \sqrt{2}{{\rm e}^{-1/2\,{x}^{2}}}}{ \sqrt{\pi }}}=1,$$
$$\displaystyle \sum _{x=-1000}^{1000}1/2\,{\frac {x \sqrt{2}{{\rm e}^{-1/2\,{x}^{2}}}}{ \sqrt{\pi }}}=0$$
and
$$\displaystyle \sum _{x=-1000}^{1000}1/2\,{\frac {{x}^{2} \sqrt{2}{{\rm e}^{-1/2\,{x}^{2}}}}{ \sqrt{\pi }}}=0.99999$$
 
Sorry, I missed a square root around the pi in my attempt.

Fascinating. I'll think about it.Edit: the probabilities sum to 1 I think is a consequence of the fact that the Fourier transform of a gaussian is another gaussian, plus parseval's theorem.

This probably works for the other parts too, adding polynomial multipliers just yields polynomial multipliers on the other end, e.g.

https://www.wolframalpha.com/input?i=fourier+transform+x^2e^(-x^2)
 
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Office_Shredder said:
Sorry, I missed a square root around the pi in my attempt.

Fascinating. I'll think about it.Edit: the probabilities sum to 1 I think is a consequence of the fact that the Fourier transform of a gaussian is another gaussian, plus parseval's theorem.

This probably works for the other parts too, adding polynomial multipliers just yields polynomial multipliers on the other end, e.g.

https://www.wolframalpha.com/input?i=fourier+transform+x^2e^(-x^2)
So dear Office_Schredder,

So what could be your final conclusion?
 
Ad VanderVen said:
So dear Office_Schredder,

So what could be your final conclusion?
Have you learned about Fourier series?
 
Ad VanderVen said:
Summary: How to prove that a certain discrete type normal distribution has as expectation ##\mu## and variance ##\sigma^2##.

The following is given:
$$\displaystyle P(K = k) = \frac{1}{2}~\frac{\sqrt{2}~e^{-\frac{1}{2}~\frac{\left(k -\mu \right)^{2}}{\sigma ^{2}}}}{\sigma ~\sqrt{\pi }}$$
How can you prove that the following equalities are correct?
$$\displaystyle \sum _{k=-\infty }^{\infty }1/2\,{\frac { \sqrt{2}}{\sigma\, \sqrt{\pi }}{{\rm e}^{-1/2\,{\frac { \left( k-\mu \right) ^{2}}{{\sigma}^{2}}}}}}=1,$$
$$\displaystyle \sum _{k=-\infty }^{\infty }1/2\,{\frac {k \sqrt{2}}{\sigma\, \sqrt{\pi }}{{\rm e}^{-1/2\,{\frac { \left( k-\mu \right) ^{2}}{{\sigma}^{2}}}}}}=\mu,$$
and
$$\displaystyle \sum _{k=-\infty }^{\infty }1/2\,{\frac { \left( k-\mu \right) ^{2} \sqrt{2} }{\sigma\, \sqrt{\pi }}{{\rm e}^{-1/2\,{\frac { \left( k-\mu \right) ^{2}}{{\sigma}^{2}}}}}}={\sigma}^{2}$$

Have I not already addressed these questions here:

https://www.physicsforums.com/threa...iscrete-random-variable.1013035/#post-6657061

using Poisson's summation formula? They are not exactly correct, but they are correct to a very good approximation.

EDIT: When I said "They are not exactly correct, but they are correct to a very good approximation." I was referring to your formulas, not my own. Sorry for the confusion.
 
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  • #10
Office_Shredder said:
Have you learned about Fourier series?
I heard about Fourier series. However, I know nothing about it.
 
  • #12
Ad VanderVen said:
I am not interested in appoximations. I simply want direct prove.

When I said "They are not exactly correct, but they are correct to a very good approximation." I was referring to your formula, not my own. Sorry for the confusion.

The expressions that I arrived at using Poisson's summation formula were exact! Using these expressions, we considered some examples and showed, in those cases, that the formula you think are equalities are not actually equalities! They were only approximately equal!

There are going to be a lot more cases where they are not actually equalities.
 
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  • #13
The following expressions (derived using Poisson's summation formula) are exact:

$$
\sum_{k=-\infty}^\infty 1/2 \dfrac{\sqrt{2}}{ \sigma\sqrt{\pi}}e^{-(k - \mu)^2/2 \sigma^2} = 1 + 2 \sum_{m=1}^\infty e^{ - m^2 \pi^2 2 \sigma^2} \cos 2 \pi m \mu .
$$

and

\begin{align*}
\sum_{k=-\infty}^\infty 1/2 \dfrac{k \sqrt{2}}{\sigma\sqrt{\pi}} e^{- (k - \mu)^2 / 2 \sigma^2} &= \mu +
2 \mu \sum_{m=1}^\infty e^{ - m^2 \pi^2 2 \sigma^2} \cos 2 \pi m \mu
\nonumber \\
& - 4 \sigma^2 \pi \sum_{m = 1}^\infty m e^{- m^2 \pi^2 2 \sigma^2} \sin 2 \pi m \mu .
\end{align*}

and

\begin{align*}
\sum_{k=-\infty}^\infty 1/2 \dfrac{(k - \mu)^2 \sqrt{2}}{\sigma \sqrt{\pi}} e^{- (k - \mu)^2 / 2 \sigma^2} &= \sigma^2 - \; 2 \sigma^2 \sum_{m = 1}^\infty (2 \pi m^2 - 1) e^{- m^2 \pi^2 2 \sigma^2} \cos 2 \pi m \mu
\end{align*}

Your formula are only correct if the sums on the right hand side happen to add up to zero. But that will only happen for some values of ##\mu## and ##\sigma## (sorry, I'm too preoccupied at the moment to look into that issue in any detail. Maybe others can help you do that.)

To see the proof of the above expressions see posts #15 and #16 of the other thread:

https://www.physicsforums.com/threa...iscrete-random-variable.1013035/#post-6657061
 
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