On the computing of the moments of bivariate order statistics

In this paper, we establish general recurrence relations satisfied by the product moments (of any order) of bivariate order statistics from any arbitrary bivariate uniform distribution function. Moreover, we present formulae to easily compute the product moments (of any order) of bivariate order statistics from any arbitrary bivariate distribution function, with positive left endpoints, or with negative right endpoints.     

Improved approximations for the inverse moments of the positive binomial distribution

Several alternatives to the most common approximation to the inverse moments of the positive binomial distribution are obtained. The method is based on equating moments and gives considerably better approximations for some values of the parameters.     

Moments and generating functions for the absortion distribution and its negative binomial analogue

The moments of the absorption are difficult to obtain. The generating functions are basic hypergeometric functions. This paper shows how to define two shift operators that allow elementary arguments to be used to develop recursions for the expected values of general functions. The exact moments of the distribution follow. The generating function for the negative binomial analogue gives the moments directly.     

Incomplete moments of modified power series districutions with applications

The recurrence relations between the incomplete moments and the factorial incomplete moments of the modified power series distributions (MPSD) are derived. These relations are employed to obtain the experessions for the incomplete moments and the incomplete factorial moments of some particular members of the MPSD class such as the generalized negative binomial, the generalized Poisson, the generalized logrithmic series, the lost game distribution and the distribution of the number of customers served in a busy period. An application of the incomplete moments of the generalized Poisson distribution is provided in the economic selection of a manufactured product. A numerical example is provided using the Poisson distribution and the Generalized Poisson distribution. The example illustrates the difference in results using the two models     

Moment density estimation for positive random variables

An unknown moment-determinate cumulative distribution function or its density function can be recovered from corresponding moments and estimated from the empirical moments. This method of estimating an unknown density is natural in certain inverse estimation models like multiplicative censoring or biased sampling when the moments of unobserved distribution can be estimated via the transformed moments of the observed distribution. In this paper, we introduce a new nonparametric estimator of a probability density function defined on the positive real line, motivated by the above. Some fundamental properties of proposed estimator are studied. The comparison with traditional kernel density estimator is discussed.     

A New Class of Non Negative Distributions Generated by Symmetric Distributions

In this article, we study a new class of non negative distributions generated by the symmetric distributions around zero. For the special case of the distribution generated using the normal distribution, properties like moments generating function, stochastic representation, reliability connections, and inference aspects using methods of moments and maximum likelihood are studied. Moreover, a real data set is analyzed, illustrating the fact that good fits can result.     

Current records and record range with some applications

In a sequence of independent and identically distributed (iid) random variables, the upper (lower) current records and record range are studied. We derive general recurrence relations between the single and product moments for the upper and lower current records based on Weibull and positive Weibull distributions, as well as Pareto and negative Pareto distributions, respectively. Moreover, some asymptotic results for general current records are established. In addition, a recurrence relation and an explicit formula for the moments of record range based on the exponential distribution are given. Finally, numerical examples are presented to illustrate and corroborate theoretical results.     

A q-Pólya urn model and the q-Pólya and inverse q-Pólya distributions

A q-Pólya urn model is introduced by assuming that the probability of drawing a white ball at a drawing varies geometrically, with rate q, both with the number of drawings and the number of white balls drawn in the previous drawings. Then, the probability mass functions and moments of (a) the number of white balls drawn in a specific number of drawings and (b) the number of black balls drawn until a specific number of white balls are drawn are derived. These two distributions turned out to be q-analogs of the Pólya and the inverse Pólya distributions, respectively. Also, the limiting distributions of the q-Pólya and the inverse q-Pólya distributions, as the number of balls in the urn tends to infinity, are shown to be a q-binomial and a negative q-binomial distribution, respectively. In addition, the positive or negative q-hypergeometric distribution is obtained as conditional distribution of a positive or negative q-binomial distribution, given its sum with another positive or negative q-binomial distribution, independent of it.     

Inferences for the inflation parameter in the zip distributions: The method of moments

The zero-inflated Poisson (ZIP) distribution is widely used for modeling a count data set when the frequency of zeros is higher than the one expected under the Poisson distribution. There are many methods for making inferences for the inflation parameter in the ZIP models, e.g. the methods for testing Poisson (the inflation parameter is zero) versus ZIP distribution (the inflation parameter is positive). Most of these methods are based on the maximum likelihood estimators which do not have an explicit expression. However, the estimators which are obtained by the method of moments are powerful enough, easy to obtain and implement. In this paper, we propose an approach based on the method of moments for making inferences about the inflation parameter in the ZIP distribution. Our method is also compared to some recent methods via a simulation study and it is illustrated by an example.     

Characterization of a mixture of gamma distributions via conditional finite moments

A necessary and sufficient condition that a continuous, positive random variable follow a gamma distribution is given in terms of any one of its conditional finite moments and an expression involving its failure rate. The results are then used to develop a characterization for a mixture of two gamma distributions. The general results about characterization of a mixture of gamma distributions yield several special cases that have appeared separately in recent literature, including characterization of a single exponential distribution, characterization of a single gamma distribution (in terms of either first or second moments) and a sufficient condition for a mixture of two exponential distributions (in terms of first moments). The condition in this last result is shown to be necessary also. Numerous other cases are possible, using different choices for distribution parameters along with a selection of the mixing parameter, for either individual or mixtures of distributions. Various characterizations can be expressed using higher order moments, too.     

Tests for generalized exponential laws based on the empirical Mellin transform

Recently, many standard families of distributions have been generalized by exponentiating their cumulative distribution function (CDF). In this paper, test statistics are constructed based on CDF–transformed observations and the corresponding moments of arbitrary positive order. Simulation results for generalized exponential distributions show that the proposed test compares well with standard methods based on the empirical distribution function.     

New generalized Farlie-Gumbel-Morgenstern distributions and concomitants of order statistics

We consider a generalization of the bivariate Farlie-Gumbel-Morgenstern (FGM) distribution by introducing additional parameters. For the generalized FGM distribution, the admissible range of the association parameter allowing positive quadrant dependence property is shown. Distributional properties of concomitants for this generalized FGM distribution are studied. Recurrence relations between moments of concomitants are presented.     

Data-Transformation and Test of Fit for the Generalized Pareto Hypothesis

In this article, we consider Crámer–von Mises type goodness-of-fit statistics for the Generalized Pareto law. The tests involve a certain transformation of the original observations, which, at least in the case of completely specified null distribution, may be viewed as transforming to uniformity and comparing the resulting moments of arbitrary positive order to those of a uniform distribution. The method is shown to be consistent, and the asymptotic null distribution of the test statistic is derived. Simulation results indicate that the proposed test compares well with standard methods based on the empirical distribution function.     

A weighted likelihood ratio of two related negative hypergeometric distributions

In this paper we consider some related negative hypergeometric distributions arising from the problem of sampling without replacement from an urn containing balls of different colours and in different proportions but stopping only after some specific number of balls of different colours have been obtained. With the aid of some simple recurrence relations and identities we obtain in the case of two colours the moments for the maximum negative hypergeometric distribution, the minimum negative hypergeometric distribution, the likelihood ratio negative hypergeometric distribution and consequently the likelihood proportional negative hypergeometric distribution. To the extent that the sampling scheme is applicable to modelling data as illustrated with a biological example and, in fact, many situations of estimating Bernoulli parameters for binary traits within a finite population, these are important first-step results.     

On negative moments of generalized poisson distribution

The negative moments have been used in estimation theory and life testing problems. In this paper we obtain the first inverse moment of a decapitated generalized Poisson distribution of Consul and Jain (1973) and exhibit an application in the estimation of soil micro-organisms.     

General results for the beta Weibull distribution

In this paper, we study some mathematical properties of the beta Weibull (BW) distribution, which is a quite flexible model in analysing positive data. It contains the Weibull, exponentiated exponential, exponentiated Weibull and beta exponential distributions as special sub-models. We demonstrate that the BW density can be expressed as a mixture of Weibull densities. We provide their moments and two closed-form expressions for their moment-generating function. We examine the asymptotic distributions of the extreme values. Explicit expressions are derived for the mean deviations, Bonferroni and Lorenz curves, reliability and two entropies. The density of the BW-order statistics is a mixture of Weibull densities and two closed-form expressions are derived for their moments. The estimation of the parameters is approached by two methods: moments and maximum likelihood. We compare the performances of the estimates obtained from both the methods by simulation. The expected information matrix is derived. For the first time, we introduce a log-BW regression model to analyse censored data. The usefulness of the BW distribution is illustrated in the analysis of three real data sets.     

A complementary generalized linear failure rate-geometric distribution

In this article, we shall attempt to introduce a new class of lifetime distributions, which enfolds several known distributions such as the generalized linear failure rate distribution and covers both positive as well as negative skewed data. This new four-parameter distribution allows for flexible hazard rate behavior. Indeed, the hazard rate function here can be increasing, decreasing, bathtub-shaped, or upside-down bathtub-shaped. We shall first study some basic distributional properties of the new model such as the cumulative distribution function, the density of the order statistics, their moments, and Rényi entropy. Estimation of the stress-strength parameter as an important reliability property is also studied. The maximum likelihood estimation procedure for complete and censored data and Bayesian method are used for estimating the parameters involved. Finally, application of the new model to three real datasets is illustrated to show the flexibility and potential of the new model compared to rival models.     

Statistical Analysis for the Inverse Trinomial Distribution

This article considers parameter estimation, goodness of fit, likelihood ratio and score tests, and model selection by Akaike information criterion for the inverse trinomial (IT) distribution, a classical one-dimensional random walk distribution. The IT distribution has a cubic variance function of the mean and is a generalization of the negative binomial distribution. Basic distributional properties and expressions for the probability mass function, recurrence formula, moments, and score functions are also presented.     

A Moment Preserving Finitization Across the Power Series Family of Probability Distributions

Finitization transforms a discrete distribution into a distribution with smaller support of specified size. In special cases finitization preserves moments (moments of the order n finitization coincide with those of the parent distribution). We create a moment preserving finitization method for power series distributions by introducing an alternative representation and showing how to finitize members of this new class in a manner that preserves moments of the parent distribution. We provide results on convolutions and a reproductive property for power series distributions that have been finitized in this manner, and show how these finitized distributions accelerate variate generation in simulation.     

A Proposal for a New Bound for Discrete Distributions

In this work we re-examine some classical bounds for non negative integer-valued random variables by means of information theoretic or maxentropic techniques using fractional moments as constraints. The proposed new bound, no more analytically expressible in terms of moments or moment generating function (mgf), is built by mixing classical bounds and the Maximum Entropy (ME) approximant of the underlying distribution; such a new bound is able to exploit optimally all the information content provided by the sequence of given moments or by the mgf. Particular care will be devoted to obtain fractional moments from the available information given in terms of integer moments and/or moment generating function. Numerical examples show clearly that the bound improvement involving the ME approximant based on fractional moments is not trivial.