An Introduction to Probability Theory and Its Applications, Vol 2, 2ed, An Indian Adaptation

William Feller
  • ISBN: 9789363867369
  • 648 pages

Description

An Introduction to Probability Theory and Its Applications offers comprehensive explanations to complex statistical problems. Delving deep into densities and distributions while relating critical formulas, processes, and approaches, this rigorous text provides a solid grounding in probability with practice problems throughout. Emphasizing application without neglecting theory, the text carefully explains complex topics and their practical use.

This Indian edition enhances the coverage with new and updated content. It introduces new sections discussing nonnormal densities in higher dimensions, statement of Hájek−Rényi inequality, and Kolmogorov's strong law of large numbers. Additionally, a new appendix , featuring simplified real-world examples using R software, has been added. Many end-of-chapter problems throughout the book are new or revised. It also includes multiple-choice questions derived from various competitive examinations.

 

About the Author

William "Vilim" Feller was a Croatian-American mathematician specializing in probability theory. His Ph.D. was awarded by the University of Göttingen when he was only twenty years old.   Feller worked on mathematical probability using Kolmogorov's measure theoretic formulation. His approach was pure mathematical, but he did study applications of probability, particularly to genetics. He transformed the relation between Markov processes and partial differential equations. Later he put his results in a functional analysis framework. Feller made notable contributions to the mathematical theory of Brownian motion and diffusion processes during the years 1930-1960.

 

Table of Contents

I The Exponential and the Uniform Densities

1. Introduction

2. Densities. Convolutions

3. The Exponential Density

4. Waiting Time Paradoxes. The Poisson Process

5. The Persistence of Bad Luck

6. Waiting Times and Order Statistics

7. The Uniform Distribution

8. Random Splittings

9. Convolutions and Covering Theorems

10. Random Directions

11. The Use of Lebesgue Measure

12. Empirical Distributions

13. Summary

14. Problems for Solution

15. Multiple Choice Questions

II Special Densities. Randomization

1. Notations and Conventions

2. Gamma Distributions

3. Related Distributions of Statistics

4. Some Common Densities

5. Randomization and Mixtures

6. Discrete Distributions

7. Bessel Functions and Random Walks

8. Distributions on a Circle

9. Summary

10. Problems for Solution

11. Multiple Choice Questions

III Densities in Higher Dimensions. Normal Densities and Processes

1. Densities

2. Conditional Distributions

3. Return to the Exponential and the Uniform Distributions

4. A Characterization of the Normal Distribution

5. Matrix Notation. The Covariance Matrix

6. Normal Densities and Distributions

7. Stationary Normal Processes

8. Markovian Normal Densities

9. Non – Normal Densities in Higher Dimensions

10. Summary

11. Problems for Solution

12. Multiple Choice Questions

IV Probability Measures and Spaces

1. Baire Functions

2. Interval Functions and Integrals in r

3. σ-Algebras. Measurability

4. Probability Spaces. Random Variables

5. The Extension Theorem

6. Product Spaces. Sequences of Independent Variables

7. Null Sets. Completion

8. Summary

9. Multiple Choice Questions

V Probability Distributions in r

1. Distributions and Expectations

2. Preliminaries

3. Densities

4. Convolutions

5. Symmetrization

6. Integration by Parts. Existence of Moments

7. Chebyshev’s Inequality

8. Further Inequalities. Convex Functions

9. Simple Conditional Distributions. Mixtures

10. Conditional Distributions

11. Conditional Expectations

12. Summary

13. Problems for Solution

14. Multiple Choice Questions

VI A Survey of Some Important Distributions and Processes

1. Stable Distributions in 1

2. Examples

3. Infinitely Divisible Distributions in 1

4. Processes with Independent Increments

5. Ruin Problems in Compound Poisson Processes

6. Renewal Processes

7. Examples and Problems

8. Random Walks

9. The Queuing Process

10. Persistent and Transient Random Walks

11. General Markov Chains

12. Martingales

13. Summary

14. Problems for Solution

15. Multiple Choice Questions

VII Laws of Large Numbers. Applications in Analysis

1. Main Lemma and Notations

2. Bernstein Polynomials. Absolutely Monotone Functions

3. Moment Problems

4. Application to Exchangeable Variables

5. Generalized Taylor Formula and Semi-Groups

6. Inversion Formulas for Laplace Transforms

7. Statement of Hájek−Rényi Inequality

8. Laws of Large Numbers for Identically Distributed Variables

9. Strong Laws

10. Kolmogorov’s Strong Law of Large Numbers

11. Generalization to Martingales

12. Summary

13. Problems for Solution

14. Multiple Choice Questions

VIII The Basic Limit Theorems

1. Convergence of Measures

2. Special Properties

3. Distributions as Operators

4. The Central Limit Theorem

5. Infinite Convolutions

6. Selection Theorems

7. Ergodic Theorems for Markov Chains

8. Regular Variation

9. Asymptotic Properties of Regularly Varying Functions

10. Summary

11. Problems for Solution

12. Multiple Choice Questions

IX Infinitely Divisible Distributions and Semi-Groups

1. Orientation

2. Convolution Semi-Groups

3. Preparatory Lemmas

4. Finite Variances

5. The Main Theorems

6. Example: Stable Semi-Groups

7. Triangular Arrays with Identical Distributions

8. Domains of Attraction

9. Variable Distributions. The Three-Series Theorem

10. Summary

11. Problems for Solution

12. Multiple Choice Questions

X Markov Processes and Semi-Groups

1. The Pseudo-Poisson Type

2. A Variant: Linear Increments

3. Jump Processes

4. Diffusion Processes in 1

5. The Forward Equation. Boundary Conditions

6. Diffusion in Higher Dimensions

7. Subordinated Processes

8. Markov Processes and Semi-Groups

9. The “Exponential Formula” of Semi-Group Theory

10. Generators. The Backward Equation

11. Summary

12. Problems for Solution

13. Multiple Choice Questions

XI Renewal Theory

1. The Renewal Theorem

2. Proof of the Renewal Theorem

3. Refinements

4. Persistent Renewal Processes

5. The Number Nt of Renewal Epochs

6. Terminating (Transient) Processes

7. Diverse Applications

8. Existence of Limits in Stochastic Processes

9. Renewal Theory on the Whole Line

10. Summary

11. Problems for Solution

12. Multiple Choice Questions

XII Random Walks in 1

1. Basic Concepts and Notations

2. Duality. Types of Random Walks

3. Distribution of Ladder Heights. Wiener-Hopf Factorization

4. Examples

5. Applications

6. A Combinatorial Lemma

7. Distribution of Ladder Epochs

8. The Arc Sine Laws

9. Miscellaneous Complements

10. Summary

11. Problems for Solution

12. Multiple Choice Questions

XIII Laplace Transforms. Tauberian Theorems. Resolvents

1. Definitions. The Continuity Theorem

2. Elementary Properties

3. Examples

4. Completely Monotone Functions. Inversion Formulas

5. Tauberian Theorems

6. Stable Distributions

7. Infinitely Divisible Distributions

8. Higher Dimensions

9. Laplace Transforms for Semi-Groups

10. The Hille-Yosida Theorem

11. Summary

12. Problems for Solution

13. Multiple Choice Questions

XIV Applications of Laplace Transforms

1. The Renewal Equation: Theory

2. Renewal-Type Equations: Examples

3. Limit Theorems Involving Arc Sine Distributions

4. Busy Periods and Related Branching Processes

5. Diffusion Processes

6. Birth-and-Death Processes and Random Walks

7. The Kolmogorov Differential Equations

8. Example: The Pure Birth Process

9. Calculation of Ergodic Limits and of First-Passage Times

10. Summary

11. Problems for Solution

12. Multiple Choice Questions

 

XV Characteristic Functions

1. Definition. Basic Properties

2. Special Distributions. Mixtures

3. Uniqueness. Inversion Formulas

4. Regularity Properties

5. The Central Limit Theorem for Equal Components

6. The Lindeberg Conditions

7. Characteristic Functions in Higher Dimensions

8. Two Characterizations of the Normal Distribution

9. Summary

10. Problems for Solution

11. Multiple Choice Questions

XVI Expansions Related to the Central Limit Theorem

1. Notations

2. Expansions for Densities

3. Smoothing

4. Expansions for Distributions

5. The Berry-Esseen Theorems

6. Expansions in the Case of Varying Components

7. Large Deviations

8. Summary

9. Problems for Solution

10. Multiple Choice Questions

XVII Infinitely Divisible Distributions

1. Infinitely Divisible Distributions

2. Canonical Forms. The Main Limit Theorem

3. Examples and Special Properties

4. Special Properties

5. Stable Distributions and Their Domains of Attraction

6. Stable Densities

7. Triangular Arrays

8. The Class L

9. Partial Attraction. “Universal Laws”

10. Infinite Convolutions

11. Higher Dimensions

12. Summary

13. Problems for Solution

14. Multiple Choice Questions

XVIII Applications of Fourier Methods to Random Walks

1. The Basic Identity

2. Finite Intervals. Wald’s Approximation

3. The Wiener-Hopf Factorization

4. Implications and Applications

5. Two Deeper Theorems

6. Criteria for Persistency

7. Summary

8. Problems for Solution

9. Multiple Choice Questions

XIX Harmonic Analysis

1. The Parseval Relation

2. Positive Definite Functions

3. Stationary Processes

4. Fourier Series

5. The Poisson Summation Formula

6. Positive Definite Sequences

7. L2 Theory

8. Stochastic Processes and Integrals

9. Summary

10. Problems for Solution

11. Multiple Choice Questions

Appendix: Examples with R

Answers to Problems

Some Books on Cognate Subjects

Index

 

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