| Abstract: | Let X, X‘ and X“ be independent and have the same law, and let U be uniform on 0,1] and independent of X’ and XI”. A problem which has received considerable attention is to identify the laws of X for which X =c U(X‘+X“), the equality being in law. If X is positive it has an exponential law, and mixture solutions exist without the sign restriction. The problem has been extended to allow more summands on either side and to let U have a special beta law. In the positive case X then has a gamma law. This problem is tackled in full generality by considering an integral equation for the characteristic function of X. Uniqueness results and necessary conditions are given. The general case is reduced to that where X is positive, and the solution of the corresponding integral equation is constructed under the necessary conditions. This is shown to characterize all possible laws of X when there is a single summand on the left and U has an arbitrary law on 0,1]. Examples are given and known particular results are sharpened. |
