Abstract: |
The Law of Large Numbers states that, informally, if one
performs a random experiment $X$ many times and takes the average of
the results, that average will be very close to the expected value
$E[X]$. More formally, let
$(X_i)_{i\in\mathbb{N}}$ be a sequence of independently identically
distributed random variables whose expected value $E[X_1]$ exists.
Denote the running average of $X_1, \ldots, X_n$ as $\overline{X}_n$.
Then: - The Weak Law of Large Numbers
states that $\overline{X}_{n} \longrightarrow E[X_1]$ in probability
for $n\to\infty$, i.e. $\mathcal{P}(|\overline{X}_{n} - E[X_1]| >
\varepsilon) \longrightarrow 0$ as $n\to\infty$ for any $\varepsilon
> 0$.
- The Strong Law of Large Numbers states
that $\overline{X}_{n} \longrightarrow E[X_1]$ almost surely for
$n\to\infty$, i.e. $\mathcal{P}(\overline{X}_{n} \longrightarrow
E[X_1]) = 1$.
In this entry, I
formally prove the strong law and from it the weak law. The approach
used for the proof of the strong law is a particularly quick and slick
one based on ergodic theory, which was formalised by Gouëzel in
another AFP entry. |
BibTeX: |
@article{Laws_of_Large_Numbers-AFP,
author = {Manuel Eberl},
title = {The Laws of Large Numbers},
journal = {Archive of Formal Proofs},
month = feb,
year = 2021,
note = {\url{https://isa-afp.org/entries/Laws_of_Large_Numbers.html},
Formal proof development},
ISSN = {2150-914x},
}
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