Wednesday, June 8, 2011

Quant Interview Questions (Model Validation)

1) Suppose Prob(Tail) = p. What is the probability distribution of N, where N is the event:
The first Head shows up at the N-th toss.

Ans:
The (discrete) probability density is simply
Pr(event) = p^(N-1) (1-p)

What is the expectation value of N?

Ans:
E[N] = Sum_(i=1)^(inf) i*p^(i-1) (1-p)
How to do this sum? Trick:
i*p^(i-1) = (d/dp)p^i
Using this and exchanging the order of summation and differentiation, we get
E[N] = 1/(1-p)

2) Suppose X and Y are two random variables with the same cdf, X, Y > 0 and E[X/Y] = 1. Show that E[X] = E[Y].

Ans:
Cauchy-Schwarz inequality, but how?

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5 comments:

  1. We can apply geometry distribution for the first one. So the answer will be directly 1/(1-p)

    ReplyDelete
  2. I am intrigued by the 2nd one.
    But the variables are independents or not?

    ReplyDelete
  3. I think if they're independent, the equality does not hold:

    1 = E(X/Y) = E(X) E(1/Y)

    E(1/Y) > 1/E(Y), by Jensen's, so:

    1 > E(X) / E(Y)

    ReplyDelete
  4. For the problem 2):
    X, Y ~ f (density function), X/Y = Z, Z > 0

    E(X) = E (ZY) = E(E(ZY|Y)) = E(Y E(Z|Y)).

    where E(Z) = 1 = E(E(Z|Y)) = \int_{0}^{\inf} E(Z|y) f(y)dy.

    Let E(Z|y) f(y) = g(y), g is another density function of y because the integral over the domain of y is equal to one, hence

    E(X) = E(Y E(Z|Y)) = \int_{0}^{\inf} y E(Z|y) f(y)dy = \int_{0}^{\inf} y g(y)dy = E(Y), hence proved.

    ReplyDelete
  5. For the problem 2):
    X, Y ~ f (density function), X/Y = Z, Z > 0

    E(X) = E (ZY) = E(E(ZY|Y)) = E(Y E(Z|Y)).

    where E(Z) = 1 = E(E(Z|Y)) = \int_{0}^{\inf} E(Z|y) f(y)dy.

    Let E(Z|y) f(y) = g(y), g is another density function of y because the integral over the domain of y is equal to one, hence

    E(X) = E(Y E(Z|Y)) = \int_{0}^{\inf} y E(Z|y) f(y)dy = \int_{0}^{\inf} y g(y)dy = E(Y), hence proved.

    ReplyDelete