(New page: To find the maximum variance of a Bernoulli RV first find the variance equation.)
 
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To find the maximum variance of a Bernoulli RV first find the variance equation.
 
To find the maximum variance of a Bernoulli RV first find the variance equation.
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<math> Var(X) = E[X^2] - (E[X])^2 \!</math>
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We know that for Bernoulli RVs
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<math> E[X^2] = p \!</math>
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<math> E[X] = p \!</math>
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Plug these values into the variance equation, differentiate with respect to p, set equal to 0 and find the value of p that results in the largest value for the variance.

Revision as of 13:16, 2 November 2008

To find the maximum variance of a Bernoulli RV first find the variance equation.

$ Var(X) = E[X^2] - (E[X])^2 \! $

We know that for Bernoulli RVs

$ E[X^2] = p \! $

$ E[X] = p \! $

Plug these values into the variance equation, differentiate with respect to p, set equal to 0 and find the value of p that results in the largest value for the variance.

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