Trouble understanding when to use $operatorname{Var}(aX) = a^2operatorname{Var}(X)$












1














From SOA Sample #203




A machine has two components and fails when both components fail. The number of
years from now until the first component fails, X, and the number of years from now until
the machine fails, Y, are random variables with joint density function



$$f(x,y)=begin{cases}frac1{18}e^{-(x+y)over6}&text{if }0<x<y\
0&text{otherwise}end{cases}$$



Calculate $operatorname{Var}(Y|X=2)$.




To begin one must calculate $f_{Y|X}(y|2)$. I eventually get



$$ {{{1over18}e^{-(2+y)over6}}over{{1over3}e^{-{4over 6}}}}={{1over6}e^{2-yover6}}$$



At this point I can factor out the $e^{2over6}$ and will be left with the exponential distribution times a constant:



$$e^{2over6}{{1over6}e^{-yover6}}$$



I thought that one should apply the rule $operatorname{Var}(aX) = a^2operatorname{Var}(X)$ here.



$$operatorname{Var}(e^{2over6}Y)=e^{4over6}operatorname{Var}(Y)=e^{4over6}cdot36$$



However the true solution is $36$. Why am I wrong?










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    1














    From SOA Sample #203




    A machine has two components and fails when both components fail. The number of
    years from now until the first component fails, X, and the number of years from now until
    the machine fails, Y, are random variables with joint density function



    $$f(x,y)=begin{cases}frac1{18}e^{-(x+y)over6}&text{if }0<x<y\
    0&text{otherwise}end{cases}$$



    Calculate $operatorname{Var}(Y|X=2)$.




    To begin one must calculate $f_{Y|X}(y|2)$. I eventually get



    $$ {{{1over18}e^{-(2+y)over6}}over{{1over3}e^{-{4over 6}}}}={{1over6}e^{2-yover6}}$$



    At this point I can factor out the $e^{2over6}$ and will be left with the exponential distribution times a constant:



    $$e^{2over6}{{1over6}e^{-yover6}}$$



    I thought that one should apply the rule $operatorname{Var}(aX) = a^2operatorname{Var}(X)$ here.



    $$operatorname{Var}(e^{2over6}Y)=e^{4over6}operatorname{Var}(Y)=e^{4over6}cdot36$$



    However the true solution is $36$. Why am I wrong?










    share|cite|improve this question

























      1












      1








      1







      From SOA Sample #203




      A machine has two components and fails when both components fail. The number of
      years from now until the first component fails, X, and the number of years from now until
      the machine fails, Y, are random variables with joint density function



      $$f(x,y)=begin{cases}frac1{18}e^{-(x+y)over6}&text{if }0<x<y\
      0&text{otherwise}end{cases}$$



      Calculate $operatorname{Var}(Y|X=2)$.




      To begin one must calculate $f_{Y|X}(y|2)$. I eventually get



      $$ {{{1over18}e^{-(2+y)over6}}over{{1over3}e^{-{4over 6}}}}={{1over6}e^{2-yover6}}$$



      At this point I can factor out the $e^{2over6}$ and will be left with the exponential distribution times a constant:



      $$e^{2over6}{{1over6}e^{-yover6}}$$



      I thought that one should apply the rule $operatorname{Var}(aX) = a^2operatorname{Var}(X)$ here.



      $$operatorname{Var}(e^{2over6}Y)=e^{4over6}operatorname{Var}(Y)=e^{4over6}cdot36$$



      However the true solution is $36$. Why am I wrong?










      share|cite|improve this question













      From SOA Sample #203




      A machine has two components and fails when both components fail. The number of
      years from now until the first component fails, X, and the number of years from now until
      the machine fails, Y, are random variables with joint density function



      $$f(x,y)=begin{cases}frac1{18}e^{-(x+y)over6}&text{if }0<x<y\
      0&text{otherwise}end{cases}$$



      Calculate $operatorname{Var}(Y|X=2)$.




      To begin one must calculate $f_{Y|X}(y|2)$. I eventually get



      $$ {{{1over18}e^{-(2+y)over6}}over{{1over3}e^{-{4over 6}}}}={{1over6}e^{2-yover6}}$$



      At this point I can factor out the $e^{2over6}$ and will be left with the exponential distribution times a constant:



      $$e^{2over6}{{1over6}e^{-yover6}}$$



      I thought that one should apply the rule $operatorname{Var}(aX) = a^2operatorname{Var}(X)$ here.



      $$operatorname{Var}(e^{2over6}Y)=e^{4over6}operatorname{Var}(Y)=e^{4over6}cdot36$$



      However the true solution is $36$. Why am I wrong?







      probability statistics






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      asked Nov 28 '18 at 18:07









      agbltagblt

      17414




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          This is not "exponential distribution times a constant", it is a shifted exponential distribution. Note that your formula for the conditional density is only valid for $y > 2$. Thus the conditional distribution for $Y$ given $X = 2$ is the distribution of $2 + T$ where $T$ is exponential with rate $1/6$. The variance of $2+T$ is the same as the variance of $T$.






          share|cite|improve this answer





















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            This is not "exponential distribution times a constant", it is a shifted exponential distribution. Note that your formula for the conditional density is only valid for $y > 2$. Thus the conditional distribution for $Y$ given $X = 2$ is the distribution of $2 + T$ where $T$ is exponential with rate $1/6$. The variance of $2+T$ is the same as the variance of $T$.






            share|cite|improve this answer


























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              This is not "exponential distribution times a constant", it is a shifted exponential distribution. Note that your formula for the conditional density is only valid for $y > 2$. Thus the conditional distribution for $Y$ given $X = 2$ is the distribution of $2 + T$ where $T$ is exponential with rate $1/6$. The variance of $2+T$ is the same as the variance of $T$.






              share|cite|improve this answer
























                1












                1








                1






                This is not "exponential distribution times a constant", it is a shifted exponential distribution. Note that your formula for the conditional density is only valid for $y > 2$. Thus the conditional distribution for $Y$ given $X = 2$ is the distribution of $2 + T$ where $T$ is exponential with rate $1/6$. The variance of $2+T$ is the same as the variance of $T$.






                share|cite|improve this answer












                This is not "exponential distribution times a constant", it is a shifted exponential distribution. Note that your formula for the conditional density is only valid for $y > 2$. Thus the conditional distribution for $Y$ given $X = 2$ is the distribution of $2 + T$ where $T$ is exponential with rate $1/6$. The variance of $2+T$ is the same as the variance of $T$.







                share|cite|improve this answer












                share|cite|improve this answer



                share|cite|improve this answer










                answered Nov 28 '18 at 18:16









                Robert IsraelRobert Israel

                319k23208457




                319k23208457






























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