Can two different distributions have the same value of mean, variance, skewness, and kurtosis?












6














Assuming that you have two discrete population distributions.



Can they have identical values of mean ,variance, skewness and kurtosis while being different in shape visually ?



Do these four values act like a fingerprint of any distribution?










share|cite|improve this question




















  • 6




    Yes. In fact, one can construct two different discrete distributions with all moments equal, yet do not agree in distribution. Also check out this question: Two random variables with same moments.
    – Francis
    2 days ago












  • You may already know this but when in such a situation where you have some statistics which reduce the space of possible distributions but do not identify a single distribution then you should generally choose the probability distribution with the maximum entropy.
    – Pace
    yesterday
















6














Assuming that you have two discrete population distributions.



Can they have identical values of mean ,variance, skewness and kurtosis while being different in shape visually ?



Do these four values act like a fingerprint of any distribution?










share|cite|improve this question




















  • 6




    Yes. In fact, one can construct two different discrete distributions with all moments equal, yet do not agree in distribution. Also check out this question: Two random variables with same moments.
    – Francis
    2 days ago












  • You may already know this but when in such a situation where you have some statistics which reduce the space of possible distributions but do not identify a single distribution then you should generally choose the probability distribution with the maximum entropy.
    – Pace
    yesterday














6












6








6


2





Assuming that you have two discrete population distributions.



Can they have identical values of mean ,variance, skewness and kurtosis while being different in shape visually ?



Do these four values act like a fingerprint of any distribution?










share|cite|improve this question















Assuming that you have two discrete population distributions.



Can they have identical values of mean ,variance, skewness and kurtosis while being different in shape visually ?



Do these four values act like a fingerprint of any distribution?







descriptive-statistics skewness kurtosis






share|cite|improve this question















share|cite|improve this question













share|cite|improve this question




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edited 2 days ago









kjetil b halvorsen

28.9k980208




28.9k980208










asked 2 days ago









Adurthi Ashwin SwarupAdurthi Ashwin Swarup

1315




1315








  • 6




    Yes. In fact, one can construct two different discrete distributions with all moments equal, yet do not agree in distribution. Also check out this question: Two random variables with same moments.
    – Francis
    2 days ago












  • You may already know this but when in such a situation where you have some statistics which reduce the space of possible distributions but do not identify a single distribution then you should generally choose the probability distribution with the maximum entropy.
    – Pace
    yesterday














  • 6




    Yes. In fact, one can construct two different discrete distributions with all moments equal, yet do not agree in distribution. Also check out this question: Two random variables with same moments.
    – Francis
    2 days ago












  • You may already know this but when in such a situation where you have some statistics which reduce the space of possible distributions but do not identify a single distribution then you should generally choose the probability distribution with the maximum entropy.
    – Pace
    yesterday








6




6




Yes. In fact, one can construct two different discrete distributions with all moments equal, yet do not agree in distribution. Also check out this question: Two random variables with same moments.
– Francis
2 days ago






Yes. In fact, one can construct two different discrete distributions with all moments equal, yet do not agree in distribution. Also check out this question: Two random variables with same moments.
– Francis
2 days ago














You may already know this but when in such a situation where you have some statistics which reduce the space of possible distributions but do not identify a single distribution then you should generally choose the probability distribution with the maximum entropy.
– Pace
yesterday




You may already know this but when in such a situation where you have some statistics which reduce the space of possible distributions but do not identify a single distribution then you should generally choose the probability distribution with the maximum entropy.
– Pace
yesterday










2 Answers
2






active

oldest

votes


















10














Take a mixture of two Normal distributions with density
$$f(x|mu_1,mu_2,sigma_1,sigma_2,omega)=
frac{omega}{sqrt{2pi}sigma_1}exp{-(x-mu_1)^2/2sigma_1^2}+
frac{1-omega}{sqrt{2pi}sigma_2}exp{-(x-mu_2)^2/2sigma_2^2}$$

This distribution has five parameters constrained by four equations
begin{align*}
mathbb{E}[X]&=omegamu_1+(1-omega)mu_2\
text{var}(X)&=omegasigma_1^2+(1-omega)sigma_2^2+omega(mu_1-mathbb{E}[X])^2+(1-omega)(mu_2-mathbb{E}[X])^2\
mathbb{E}[X^3]&=ldots\
mathbb{E}[X^4]&=ldots
end{align*}

Assuming these equations are compatible, there is therefore an infinite number of solutions $(mu_1,mu_2,sigma_1,sigma_2,omega)$.






share|cite|improve this answer























  • How come 4 equations ? Wont there be 4 equations to be solved for each distribution ? Assuming 4 eq for mean , variance , skewness and kurtosis - And is this applicable to discrete distributions as well ?
    – Adurthi Ashwin Swarup
    2 days ago












  • You can use a discrete version of this mixture distribution, with no difference in the conclusion.
    – Xi'an
    2 days ago



















6














Xi'an's answer proved (or at least hinted a proof) that there are different distributions with the same mean, variance, skewness and kurtosis. I just want to show an example of three visually distinct discrete distributions with the same moments (mean=skewness=0, variance=1 and kurtosis=2):



Three discrete samples with the same moments



The code to generate them is:



library(moments)

n <- 1e6

x <- c(-sqrt(2), 0, +sqrt(2))
p <- c(1,2,1)
mostra1 <- sample(x, size=n, prob=p, replace=TRUE)

x <- c(-1.4629338416371, -0.350630832572269, 0.350630832573386, 1.46293384163564)
p <- c(1, 1.3, 1.3, 1)
mostra2 <- sample(x, size=n, prob=p, replace=TRUE)

x <- c(-1.5049621442915, -0.457635862316285, 0.457635862316022, 1.50496214429192)
p <- c(1, 1.6, 1.6, 1)
mostra3 <- sample(x, size=n, prob=p, replace=TRUE)

mostra <- rbind(data.frame(x=mostra1, grup="a"),
data.frame(x=mostra2, grup="b"),
data.frame(x=mostra3, grup="c"))
aggregate(x~grup, data=mostra, mean)
aggregate(x~grup, data=mostra, var)
aggregate(x~grup, data=mostra, skewness)
aggregate(x~grup, data=mostra, kurtosis)

library(ggplot2)
ggplot(mostra)+
geom_histogram(aes(x, fill=grup), bins=100)





share|cite|improve this answer





















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    2 Answers
    2






    active

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    2 Answers
    2






    active

    oldest

    votes









    active

    oldest

    votes






    active

    oldest

    votes









    10














    Take a mixture of two Normal distributions with density
    $$f(x|mu_1,mu_2,sigma_1,sigma_2,omega)=
    frac{omega}{sqrt{2pi}sigma_1}exp{-(x-mu_1)^2/2sigma_1^2}+
    frac{1-omega}{sqrt{2pi}sigma_2}exp{-(x-mu_2)^2/2sigma_2^2}$$

    This distribution has five parameters constrained by four equations
    begin{align*}
    mathbb{E}[X]&=omegamu_1+(1-omega)mu_2\
    text{var}(X)&=omegasigma_1^2+(1-omega)sigma_2^2+omega(mu_1-mathbb{E}[X])^2+(1-omega)(mu_2-mathbb{E}[X])^2\
    mathbb{E}[X^3]&=ldots\
    mathbb{E}[X^4]&=ldots
    end{align*}

    Assuming these equations are compatible, there is therefore an infinite number of solutions $(mu_1,mu_2,sigma_1,sigma_2,omega)$.






    share|cite|improve this answer























    • How come 4 equations ? Wont there be 4 equations to be solved for each distribution ? Assuming 4 eq for mean , variance , skewness and kurtosis - And is this applicable to discrete distributions as well ?
      – Adurthi Ashwin Swarup
      2 days ago












    • You can use a discrete version of this mixture distribution, with no difference in the conclusion.
      – Xi'an
      2 days ago
















    10














    Take a mixture of two Normal distributions with density
    $$f(x|mu_1,mu_2,sigma_1,sigma_2,omega)=
    frac{omega}{sqrt{2pi}sigma_1}exp{-(x-mu_1)^2/2sigma_1^2}+
    frac{1-omega}{sqrt{2pi}sigma_2}exp{-(x-mu_2)^2/2sigma_2^2}$$

    This distribution has five parameters constrained by four equations
    begin{align*}
    mathbb{E}[X]&=omegamu_1+(1-omega)mu_2\
    text{var}(X)&=omegasigma_1^2+(1-omega)sigma_2^2+omega(mu_1-mathbb{E}[X])^2+(1-omega)(mu_2-mathbb{E}[X])^2\
    mathbb{E}[X^3]&=ldots\
    mathbb{E}[X^4]&=ldots
    end{align*}

    Assuming these equations are compatible, there is therefore an infinite number of solutions $(mu_1,mu_2,sigma_1,sigma_2,omega)$.






    share|cite|improve this answer























    • How come 4 equations ? Wont there be 4 equations to be solved for each distribution ? Assuming 4 eq for mean , variance , skewness and kurtosis - And is this applicable to discrete distributions as well ?
      – Adurthi Ashwin Swarup
      2 days ago












    • You can use a discrete version of this mixture distribution, with no difference in the conclusion.
      – Xi'an
      2 days ago














    10












    10








    10






    Take a mixture of two Normal distributions with density
    $$f(x|mu_1,mu_2,sigma_1,sigma_2,omega)=
    frac{omega}{sqrt{2pi}sigma_1}exp{-(x-mu_1)^2/2sigma_1^2}+
    frac{1-omega}{sqrt{2pi}sigma_2}exp{-(x-mu_2)^2/2sigma_2^2}$$

    This distribution has five parameters constrained by four equations
    begin{align*}
    mathbb{E}[X]&=omegamu_1+(1-omega)mu_2\
    text{var}(X)&=omegasigma_1^2+(1-omega)sigma_2^2+omega(mu_1-mathbb{E}[X])^2+(1-omega)(mu_2-mathbb{E}[X])^2\
    mathbb{E}[X^3]&=ldots\
    mathbb{E}[X^4]&=ldots
    end{align*}

    Assuming these equations are compatible, there is therefore an infinite number of solutions $(mu_1,mu_2,sigma_1,sigma_2,omega)$.






    share|cite|improve this answer














    Take a mixture of two Normal distributions with density
    $$f(x|mu_1,mu_2,sigma_1,sigma_2,omega)=
    frac{omega}{sqrt{2pi}sigma_1}exp{-(x-mu_1)^2/2sigma_1^2}+
    frac{1-omega}{sqrt{2pi}sigma_2}exp{-(x-mu_2)^2/2sigma_2^2}$$

    This distribution has five parameters constrained by four equations
    begin{align*}
    mathbb{E}[X]&=omegamu_1+(1-omega)mu_2\
    text{var}(X)&=omegasigma_1^2+(1-omega)sigma_2^2+omega(mu_1-mathbb{E}[X])^2+(1-omega)(mu_2-mathbb{E}[X])^2\
    mathbb{E}[X^3]&=ldots\
    mathbb{E}[X^4]&=ldots
    end{align*}

    Assuming these equations are compatible, there is therefore an infinite number of solutions $(mu_1,mu_2,sigma_1,sigma_2,omega)$.







    share|cite|improve this answer














    share|cite|improve this answer



    share|cite|improve this answer








    edited 2 days ago

























    answered 2 days ago









    Xi'anXi'an

    54k690348




    54k690348












    • How come 4 equations ? Wont there be 4 equations to be solved for each distribution ? Assuming 4 eq for mean , variance , skewness and kurtosis - And is this applicable to discrete distributions as well ?
      – Adurthi Ashwin Swarup
      2 days ago












    • You can use a discrete version of this mixture distribution, with no difference in the conclusion.
      – Xi'an
      2 days ago


















    • How come 4 equations ? Wont there be 4 equations to be solved for each distribution ? Assuming 4 eq for mean , variance , skewness and kurtosis - And is this applicable to discrete distributions as well ?
      – Adurthi Ashwin Swarup
      2 days ago












    • You can use a discrete version of this mixture distribution, with no difference in the conclusion.
      – Xi'an
      2 days ago
















    How come 4 equations ? Wont there be 4 equations to be solved for each distribution ? Assuming 4 eq for mean , variance , skewness and kurtosis - And is this applicable to discrete distributions as well ?
    – Adurthi Ashwin Swarup
    2 days ago






    How come 4 equations ? Wont there be 4 equations to be solved for each distribution ? Assuming 4 eq for mean , variance , skewness and kurtosis - And is this applicable to discrete distributions as well ?
    – Adurthi Ashwin Swarup
    2 days ago














    You can use a discrete version of this mixture distribution, with no difference in the conclusion.
    – Xi'an
    2 days ago




    You can use a discrete version of this mixture distribution, with no difference in the conclusion.
    – Xi'an
    2 days ago













    6














    Xi'an's answer proved (or at least hinted a proof) that there are different distributions with the same mean, variance, skewness and kurtosis. I just want to show an example of three visually distinct discrete distributions with the same moments (mean=skewness=0, variance=1 and kurtosis=2):



    Three discrete samples with the same moments



    The code to generate them is:



    library(moments)

    n <- 1e6

    x <- c(-sqrt(2), 0, +sqrt(2))
    p <- c(1,2,1)
    mostra1 <- sample(x, size=n, prob=p, replace=TRUE)

    x <- c(-1.4629338416371, -0.350630832572269, 0.350630832573386, 1.46293384163564)
    p <- c(1, 1.3, 1.3, 1)
    mostra2 <- sample(x, size=n, prob=p, replace=TRUE)

    x <- c(-1.5049621442915, -0.457635862316285, 0.457635862316022, 1.50496214429192)
    p <- c(1, 1.6, 1.6, 1)
    mostra3 <- sample(x, size=n, prob=p, replace=TRUE)

    mostra <- rbind(data.frame(x=mostra1, grup="a"),
    data.frame(x=mostra2, grup="b"),
    data.frame(x=mostra3, grup="c"))
    aggregate(x~grup, data=mostra, mean)
    aggregate(x~grup, data=mostra, var)
    aggregate(x~grup, data=mostra, skewness)
    aggregate(x~grup, data=mostra, kurtosis)

    library(ggplot2)
    ggplot(mostra)+
    geom_histogram(aes(x, fill=grup), bins=100)





    share|cite|improve this answer


























      6














      Xi'an's answer proved (or at least hinted a proof) that there are different distributions with the same mean, variance, skewness and kurtosis. I just want to show an example of three visually distinct discrete distributions with the same moments (mean=skewness=0, variance=1 and kurtosis=2):



      Three discrete samples with the same moments



      The code to generate them is:



      library(moments)

      n <- 1e6

      x <- c(-sqrt(2), 0, +sqrt(2))
      p <- c(1,2,1)
      mostra1 <- sample(x, size=n, prob=p, replace=TRUE)

      x <- c(-1.4629338416371, -0.350630832572269, 0.350630832573386, 1.46293384163564)
      p <- c(1, 1.3, 1.3, 1)
      mostra2 <- sample(x, size=n, prob=p, replace=TRUE)

      x <- c(-1.5049621442915, -0.457635862316285, 0.457635862316022, 1.50496214429192)
      p <- c(1, 1.6, 1.6, 1)
      mostra3 <- sample(x, size=n, prob=p, replace=TRUE)

      mostra <- rbind(data.frame(x=mostra1, grup="a"),
      data.frame(x=mostra2, grup="b"),
      data.frame(x=mostra3, grup="c"))
      aggregate(x~grup, data=mostra, mean)
      aggregate(x~grup, data=mostra, var)
      aggregate(x~grup, data=mostra, skewness)
      aggregate(x~grup, data=mostra, kurtosis)

      library(ggplot2)
      ggplot(mostra)+
      geom_histogram(aes(x, fill=grup), bins=100)





      share|cite|improve this answer
























        6












        6








        6






        Xi'an's answer proved (or at least hinted a proof) that there are different distributions with the same mean, variance, skewness and kurtosis. I just want to show an example of three visually distinct discrete distributions with the same moments (mean=skewness=0, variance=1 and kurtosis=2):



        Three discrete samples with the same moments



        The code to generate them is:



        library(moments)

        n <- 1e6

        x <- c(-sqrt(2), 0, +sqrt(2))
        p <- c(1,2,1)
        mostra1 <- sample(x, size=n, prob=p, replace=TRUE)

        x <- c(-1.4629338416371, -0.350630832572269, 0.350630832573386, 1.46293384163564)
        p <- c(1, 1.3, 1.3, 1)
        mostra2 <- sample(x, size=n, prob=p, replace=TRUE)

        x <- c(-1.5049621442915, -0.457635862316285, 0.457635862316022, 1.50496214429192)
        p <- c(1, 1.6, 1.6, 1)
        mostra3 <- sample(x, size=n, prob=p, replace=TRUE)

        mostra <- rbind(data.frame(x=mostra1, grup="a"),
        data.frame(x=mostra2, grup="b"),
        data.frame(x=mostra3, grup="c"))
        aggregate(x~grup, data=mostra, mean)
        aggregate(x~grup, data=mostra, var)
        aggregate(x~grup, data=mostra, skewness)
        aggregate(x~grup, data=mostra, kurtosis)

        library(ggplot2)
        ggplot(mostra)+
        geom_histogram(aes(x, fill=grup), bins=100)





        share|cite|improve this answer












        Xi'an's answer proved (or at least hinted a proof) that there are different distributions with the same mean, variance, skewness and kurtosis. I just want to show an example of three visually distinct discrete distributions with the same moments (mean=skewness=0, variance=1 and kurtosis=2):



        Three discrete samples with the same moments



        The code to generate them is:



        library(moments)

        n <- 1e6

        x <- c(-sqrt(2), 0, +sqrt(2))
        p <- c(1,2,1)
        mostra1 <- sample(x, size=n, prob=p, replace=TRUE)

        x <- c(-1.4629338416371, -0.350630832572269, 0.350630832573386, 1.46293384163564)
        p <- c(1, 1.3, 1.3, 1)
        mostra2 <- sample(x, size=n, prob=p, replace=TRUE)

        x <- c(-1.5049621442915, -0.457635862316285, 0.457635862316022, 1.50496214429192)
        p <- c(1, 1.6, 1.6, 1)
        mostra3 <- sample(x, size=n, prob=p, replace=TRUE)

        mostra <- rbind(data.frame(x=mostra1, grup="a"),
        data.frame(x=mostra2, grup="b"),
        data.frame(x=mostra3, grup="c"))
        aggregate(x~grup, data=mostra, mean)
        aggregate(x~grup, data=mostra, var)
        aggregate(x~grup, data=mostra, skewness)
        aggregate(x~grup, data=mostra, kurtosis)

        library(ggplot2)
        ggplot(mostra)+
        geom_histogram(aes(x, fill=grup), bins=100)






        share|cite|improve this answer












        share|cite|improve this answer



        share|cite|improve this answer










        answered yesterday









        PerePere

        4,0491718




        4,0491718






























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