# Finding the median of a distribution

## Homework Statement

Suppose X has the Uniform (0,1) distribution. Find the median of the distribution of e^X correct to 2 decimals.

F(X) = 0.5
F(X) = ∫f(x)

## The Attempt at a Solution

I am not entirely sure what to do here, I know to find the median you need to find when F(X) = 0.5. I assumed that e^X was just the cdf f(x) = e^X which makes F(x) still e^X.

So then I used e^(X) = 0.5 which gives X = ln(0.5).

However this is not correct. I am a bit confused about the first part of the question, how X being a uniform distribution would affect it.

Any help would be appreciated

Thanks

Last edited:

Mark44
Mentor

## Homework Statement

Suppose X has the Uniform (0,1) distribution. Find the median of the distribution of e^X correct to 2 decimals.

F(X) = 0.5
F(X) = ∫f(x)

## The Attempt at a Solution

I am not entirely sure what to do here, I know to find the median you need to find when F(X) = 0.5. I assumed that e^X was just the cdf f(x) = e^X which makes F(x) still e^X.

So then I used e^(X) = 0.5 which gives X = ln(0.5).
If you think about it a bit, this can't be right, since X would have to be a negative number. If X ranges from 0 to 1, then e^X will range from ? to ?
doctordiddy said:
However this is not correct. I am a bit confused about the first part of the question, how X being a uniform distribution would affect it.

Any help would be appreciated

Thanks

I found the answer to be e^0.5, but im not sure exactly why. Do we find the median of the uniform distribution of X (0.5) and then plug that into e^(X)? Or do I need to find the median of the distribution between 1 and e? If it's the latter, how do we know that the median is simply e^(0.5)? Are we able to say this because X is a uniform distribution?

If you think about it a bit, this can't be right, since X would have to be a negative number. If X ranges from 0 to 1, then e^X will range from ? to ?
I found the answer to be e^0.5, but im not sure exactly why. Do we find the median of the uniform distribution of X (0.5) and then plug that into e^(X)? Or do I need to find the median of the distribution between 1 and e? If it's the latter, how do we know that the median is simply e^(0.5)? Are we able to say this because X is a uniform distribution?

Ray Vickson
Homework Helper
Dearly Missed
I found the answer to be e^0.5, but im not sure exactly why. Do we find the median of the uniform distribution of X (0.5) and then plug that into e^(X)? Or do I need to find the median of the distribution between 1 and e? If it's the latter, how do we know that the median is simply e^(0.5)? Are we able to say this because X is a uniform distribution?

If ##Y = e^X##, the cumulative distribution of ##Y## is ##F(y) = P(Y \leq y) = P(e^X \leq y)##. For ##X \sim U(0,1)##, what does this give you for ##F(y)##? What is the solution of ##F(y) = 1/2##? That would give you the median.

If ##Y = e^X##, the cumulative distribution of ##Y## is ##F(y) = P(Y \leq y) = P(e^X \leq y)##. For ##X \sim U(0,1)##, what does this give you for ##F(y)##? What is the solution of ##F(y) = 1/2##? That would give you the median.

I am unsure of how to continue after
For ##X \sim U(0,1)##, what does this give you for ##F(y)##? Am I supposed to see that X = ln(y) or am I supposed to see that Y ~ U(1,e)? Or am I missing something altogether?

haruspex