I know, I can't use convolution. I have two random variables A and B and they're dependent. I need Distributive function of A+B
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As vinux points out, one needs the joint distribution of $A$ and $B$, and it is not obvious from OP Mesko's response "I know Distributive function of A and B" that he is saying he knows the joint distribution of A and B: he may well be saying that he knows the marginal distributions of A and B. However, assuming that Mesko does know the joint distribution, the answer is given below. From the convolution integral in OP Mesko's comment (which is wrong, by the way), it could be inferred that Mesko is interested in jointly continuous random variables $A$ and $B$ with joint probability density function $f_{A,B}(a,b)$. In this case, $$f_{A+B}(z) = \int_{-\infty}^{\infty} f_{A,B}(a,z-a) \mathrm da = \int_{-\infty}^{\infty} f_{A,B}(z-b,b) \mathrm db.$$ When $A$ and $B$ are independent, the joint density function factors into the product of the marginal density functions: $f_{A,B}(a,z-a)=f_{A}(a)f_{B}(z-a)$ and we get the more familiar convolution formula for independent random variables. A similar result applies for discrete random variables as well. Things are more complicated if $A$ and $B$ are not jointly continuous, or if one random variable is continuous and the other is discrete. However, in all cases, one can always find the cumulative probability distribution function $F_{A+B}(z)$ of $A+B$ as the total probability mass in the region of the plane specified as $\{(a,b) \colon a+b \leq z\}$ and compute the probability density function, or the probability mass function, or whatever, from the distribution function. Indeed the above formula is obtained by writing $F_{A+B}(z)$ as a double integral of the joint density function over the specified region and then "differentiating under the integral sign.'' |
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