Cumulative Distribution Function (CDF) Def: CDF of a r.v. X, taking values in R is F_X(x) = \Pr(X\leq x) = \Pr(X\in (-\infty, x] ) % to appease vim, ')' Th 1.5.1 (Properties of a CDF) 0) 0 \leq F_X(x) \leq 1 \forall x \in R 1) It is non-decreasing. x_1 \leq x_2 \in A, F_X(x_1) \leq F_X(x_2). 2) F_X(x) -> 0 as x -> -\infty 3) F_X(x) -> 1 as x -> +\infty 4) F_X(x) is right-continuous. Continuous R.V. Over an uncountable domain D like (0, 1), R. Let there be a CDF F_X(x) = P(X \leq x). Assume there exists f_X(x) := d/dx F_X(x), the probability density function. [discontinuities might be able to be resolved with a delta function] By the second fundamental theorem of calculus (?), F_X(x) = P(X \leq x) = \int_{-\infty}^\infty f_x(t) dt. In the discrete case, we have the pmf (probability mass function) where P_x(t) = P(X = t) P(a < X \leq b) for a < b = P_X(b) - P_X(a). Examples: - Uniform Distribution X ~ U[a, b] = { 1/(b-a) for a \leq x \leq b { 0 otherwise. - Exponential Distribution X ~ Exp(\lambda) \lambda > 0 f_X(x) = { \lambda e^{-\lambda x}, x \geq 0 { 0 otherwise F_X(x) = { 1 - e^{-\lambda x}, x \geq 0 { 0 otherwise - Normal Distribution X ~ N(\mu, \sigma^2) \mu \in R, \sigma^2 > 0. \sigma = stdev. \sigma^2 = variance. \mu = mean/center. f_X(x) = 1/\sqrt{2\pi \sigma^2} exp( - (x-\mu)^2 / {2\sigma^2} ) F_X(x) = \int_{-\infty}^x f_X(x) dx