How to calculate the sum of two independent gamma random variables?

How to calculate the sum of two independent gamma random variables?

The proof is as follows: (1) Remember that the characteristic function of the sum of independent random variables is the product of their individual characteristic functions; (2) Get the characteristic function of a gamma random variable here; (3) Do the simple algebra. To get some intuition beyond this algebraic argument, check whuber’s comment.

How to find the mean and variance of a gamma distribution?

You may use a easier method. Consider the moment generating function or probability generating function. E(e(X+Y)t) = E(eXteYt) = E(eXt)E(eYt) as they are independent then we can get a moment generating function of a gamma distribution. Then you can find the mean and variance from the Moment generating function

Which is the sum of exponential random variables?

The answer is a sum of independent exponentially distributed random variables, which is an Erlang (n, λ) distribution. The Erlang distribution is a special case of the Gamma distribution. The difference between Erlang and Gamma is that in a Gamma distribution, n can be a non-integer.

How to find the MGF of a random variable?

By the property (a) of mgf, we can find that is a normal random variable with parameter . Let and be independent gamma random variables with the respective parameters and . Then the sum of random variables has the mgf

How to get the PDF of a random variable?

Then the cumulative distribution function of the random variable can be given as follows. where is the cdf of . By differentiating , we can obtain the pdf of as The form of integration is called the convolution . Thus, the pdf is given by the convolution of the pdf’s and .

When is the gamma distribution the same as the exponential?

Notice that when k=1, the Gamma distribution is the same as the Exponential distribution with lambda=1/theta. When k>1, the most probable value of time (“x” in the function above) is no longer 0. This is what makes the Gamma distribution much more appropriate to describe the probability distribution for time spent in a state.

How is the sum of gamma and Poisson distributed?

Their sum is thus Gamma distributed as Gamma (3,1/0.75) Interesting property of the Exponential distribution: If X~Exp (gamma) and Y~Exp (rho), then min (X,Y) is distributed as Exp (lambda) with lambda=gamma+rho

How are Poisson exponential and gamma distributions used in Compartmental modelling?

[In this model, students will learn about some special properties of the Poisson, Exponential, and Gamma distributions.] In compartmental modelling, the Exponential distribution plays a role as the probability distribution underlying the sojourn time in a compartment.