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joint normal distribution (Definition)

A finite set of random variables $ X_1,\ldots,X_p$ are said to have a joint normal distribution or multivariate normal distribution if their joint probability density function is multidimensional Gaussian, that is:

$\displaystyle f_{\boldsymbol{X}}(\boldsymbol{x})=\sqrt{\frac{1 }{(2\pi)^p \det{... ...ratorname{T}}\boldsymbol{\Sigma}^{-1} (\boldsymbol{x} - \boldsymbol{\mu})\big],$
where When $ \boldsymbol{X}$ is a $ p$-dimensional random vector that is multivariate normally distributed with mean vector $ \boldsymbol{\mu}$ and covariance matrix $ \boldsymbol{\Sigma}$, we often write
$\displaystyle \boldsymbol{X}\sim N_p(\boldsymbol{\mu},\boldsymbol{\Sigma}).$
Like a random variable with a normal distribution, a finite set of random variables (or a random vector) with a joint normal distribution has some simple and attractive properties:
  1. $ \operatorname{E}[\boldsymbol{X}]=\boldsymbol{\mu}$;
  2. $ \operatorname{Var}[\boldsymbol{X}]=\boldsymbol{\Sigma}$;
  3. any linear combination of random vectors that are jointly normal is jointly normal. In fact, if $ \boldsymbol{X}$ an $ n$ dimensional random vector with a joint normal distribution, $ \boldsymbol{A}$ is an $ n\times n$ constant real matrix, then $ \boldsymbol{AX}$ (or $ \boldsymbol{XA}$ depending on whether $ \boldsymbol{X}$ is a column or a row vector) is jointly normal;
  4. any marginal distribution of a joint normal distribution is jointly normal. In particular, if $ X_1,\ldots,X_n$ are jointly normal, then each $ X_i$ is normal;
  5. Let $ \boldsymbol{X}$ be a random vector whose distribution is jointly normal. Suppose coordinates of $ \boldsymbol{X}$ are partitioned into two groups, forming random vectors $ \boldsymbol{X_1}$ and $ \boldsymbol{X_2}$, then the conditional distribution of $ \boldsymbol{X_1}$ given $ \boldsymbol{X_2}=\boldsymbol{c}$ is jointly normal.



"joint normal distribution" is owned by CWoo.
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Other names:  multivariate Gaussian distribution
Also defines:  jointly normal, multivariate normal distribution
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Cross-references: conditional, groups, coordinates, distribution, normal, marginal distribution, row vector, column, linear combination, properties, simple, covariance matrix, mean vector, vector, matrix, real, positive definite, non-singular, random vector, Gaussian, probability density function, random variables, finite set
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This is version 8 of joint normal distribution, born on 2005-07-01, modified 2006-12-06.
Object id is 7204, canonical name is JointNormalDistribution.
Accessed 13375 times total.

Classification:
AMS MSC60E05 (Probability theory and stochastic processes :: Distribution theory :: Distributions: general theory)
 62H05 (Statistics :: Multivariate analysis :: Characterization and structure theory)

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