11.2 - Relationship between Raw and Central Moments
Enroll to start learning
You’ve not yet enrolled in this course. Please enroll for free to listen to audio lessons, classroom podcasts and take practice test.
Interactive Audio Lesson
Listen to a student-teacher conversation explaining the topic in a relatable way.
Introduction to Moments
🔒 Unlock Audio Lesson
Sign up and enroll to listen to this audio lesson
Today, we'll explore the relationship between raw and central moments. To start, what do you think a moment represents in probability theory?
I think it's a measure of some characteristics of random variables, like their shape?
Exactly! A moment provides insights into the distribution's characteristics. There are two main types: raw and central moments. Can anyone tell me what the first raw moment is?
Isn't it the expected value?
That's correct! The first raw moment is the mean, denoted as µ'. Now, how would you define a central moment?
It measures the power of deviations from the mean, right?
Yes! Central moments help us understand how spread out or skewed a distribution is. Let's dive deeper into how they relate.
Calculating Second Central Moment
🔒 Unlock Audio Lesson
Sign up and enroll to listen to this audio lesson
Now, let’s focus on the second central moment, which is the variance. How is it related to raw moments?
I think we subtract something from the second raw moment?
You’re on the right track! The formula is µ2 = µ′2 - (µ′)². This tells us how much the values vary around the mean. Why do you think knowing the variance is important?
Because it tells us about the spread, right? If data points are more spread out, the variance will be higher.
Exactly! It gives us a numerical value representing the degree of dispersion. Let's apply this concept with an example.
Higher Orders of Central Moments
🔒 Unlock Audio Lesson
Sign up and enroll to listen to this audio lesson
In addition to the second central moment, we have third and fourth moments. Who can explain what the third central moment measures?
It measures skewness, right? Like how much the distribution leans to one side?
Correct! And the formula involves raw moments in a more complex way: µ3 = µ′3 - 3µ′2µ′ + 2(µ′)3. Why do we care about skewness?
Because it affects the mean and helps in understanding the shape of the data!
Exactly! Now what about the fourth moment, kurtosis? What does that signify?
Kurtosis measures the 'peakedness' of the distribution, right?
That’s right! Let's summarize the key points we covered.
Introduction & Overview
Read summaries of the section's main ideas at different levels of detail.
Quick Overview
Standard
The relationship between raw and central moments is crucial in probability theory. Raw moments provide the expected values of powers of random variables, while central moments focus on deviations from the mean. This section details formulas for converting between the two, emphasizing their significance in statistical analysis.
Detailed
Relationship between Raw and Central Moments
In probability theory, moments serve as essential descriptors for the characteristics of random variables. There are two primary types: raw moments and central moments. Raw moments, denoted as 9, reflect expected values of the r-th power of the variable, while central moments measure the r-th power of deviations from the mean.
The section elaborates on the relationships between these two moment types:
- First Central Moment: The first central moment is zero, reflecting the property that the mean is centered around itself.
- Second Central Moment (Variance): This moment can be calculated by subtracting the square of the first raw moment from the second raw moment, representing the dispersion of the distribution around the mean.
- Third and Fourth Central Moments: These moments involve more complex formulas that, like variance, relate raw moments with powers of deviations.
These relationships illustrate how raw moments can be used to derive central moments when direct computation from distribution definitions is challenging. Understanding these relationships is vital for statistical modeling, allowing for easier data analysis and interpretation.
Youtube Videos
Audio Book
Dive deep into the subject with an immersive audiobook experience.
First Central Moment
Chapter 1 of 4
🔒 Unlock Audio Chapter
Sign up and enroll to access the full audio experience
Chapter Content
The first central moment:
𝜇 = 𝐸[𝑋−𝜇] = 0
Detailed Explanation
The first central moment is a measure that reflects the average of the deviations of random variable X from its expected value (mean). In mathematical terms, when we calculate E[X - μ], we find that it equals zero. This is because the positive and negative deviations from the mean cancel each other out. Thus, the first central moment is always zero.
Examples & Analogies
Think of the first central moment like a seesaw perfectly balanced in the middle. When a child sits on one side, there’s usually another child on the opposite side to balance them out. Just as the seesaw balances at its center (the mean), the first central moment reflects that the average distance from the center (the deviations from the mean) is zero.
Second Central Moment (Variance)
Chapter 2 of 4
🔒 Unlock Audio Chapter
Sign up and enroll to access the full audio experience
Chapter Content
The second central moment (Variance):
𝜇 = 𝜇′ − (𝜇′ )²
2 2 1
Detailed Explanation
The second central moment, commonly referred to as variance, quantifies how far the values of a random variable deviate from their mean. The formula shows that the variance can be derived from the second raw moment (𝜇′) minus the square of the first raw moment (the mean squared). Variance tells us about the spread or dispersion of the distribution; higher variance means wider spread.
Examples & Analogies
Imagine you are measuring the heights of students in a class. If the variance is low, it means most students are of similar heights, clustering closely around the mean height. If the variance is high, students have a wider range of heights, with some much shorter or taller than the average. Just as variance helps identify how spread out the heights are, it does the same for any set of data.
Third Central Moment
Chapter 3 of 4
🔒 Unlock Audio Chapter
Sign up and enroll to access the full audio experience
Chapter Content
The third central moment:
𝜇 = 𝜇′ − 3𝜇′ 𝜇′ + 2(𝜇′ )³
3 3 1 2 1
Detailed Explanation
The third central moment provides insight into the skewness of the distribution, indicating whether the values tend to lean to one side of the mean. This formula expresses the third central moment in terms of raw moments. A positive third central moment means that the distribution is skewed to the right (more values on the left), while a negative value indicates a left skew (more values on the right).
Examples & Analogies
Consider a basketball game where most scores are between 70-90 points, but a few games might score only 20 points; this creates a left skew. Imagine a friend who regularly scores around 80 points but occasionally scores terribly (20 points). The overall stats would skew left due to those few low scores, just as the third central moment reflects how distributions can become unbalanced.
Fourth Central Moment
Chapter 4 of 4
🔒 Unlock Audio Chapter
Sign up and enroll to access the full audio experience
Chapter Content
The fourth central moment:
𝜇 = 𝜇′ − 4𝜇′ 𝜇′ + 6𝜇′ (𝜇′ )² − 3(𝜇′ )⁴
4 4 3 1 2 1 1
Detailed Explanation
The fourth central moment is related to the kurtosis of the distribution and provides information about the heaviness of the tails. The formula indicates that it takes into account the contributions from the first, second, and third moments as well as the fourth raw moment. High kurtosis means more data in the tails compared to a normal distribution (peaked), while low kurtosis indicates lighter tails (flat).
Examples & Analogies
Picture an ice cream shop where most customers order vanilla, but on hot days, many order unusual flavors. This creates a heavy tail in your sales data on those days—a fourth central moment indicating high kurtosis. If everyone only orders vanilla all the time, your sales become flat, which correlates with low kurtosis. The fourth central moment helps gauge how unusual the customers’ choices can be.
Key Concepts
-
Raw Moments: These moments represent the expected values computed about the origin of the distribution.
-
Central Moments: These are dependent on the mean and measure the expected deviations from the mean of the distribution.
-
Variance: The second central moment which quantifies the dispersion of the dataset.
-
Skewness: The third central moment that indicates the asymmetry in the distribution.
-
Kurtosis: The fourth central moment giving insight into the shape of the distribution tails.
Examples & Applications
Example of calculating the second central moment: For a random variable X with mean µ' = E[X], variance can be calculated as µ2 = E[(X - µ)^2].
Example inclusion: If raw moments are known, calculating central moments can simplify analysis, particularly in distributing characteristics.
Memory Aids
Interactive tools to help you remember key concepts
Rhymes
Moments are like points in space, raw or central; they define our data's face.
Stories
Imagine measuring heights: raw moments are like direct heights while central moments show how far these heights deviate from the average height.
Memory Tools
RACES: Raw moments Are Central Expected values.
Acronyms
C-RAVE
Central Moments Relate to Average Deviations
Variance
and Expectations.
Flash Cards
Glossary
- Raw Moments
Expected values of powers of a random variable, calculated about the origin.
- Central Moments
Expected values of powers of deviations from the mean of a random variable.
- Variance
The second central moment, representing the spread or dispersion of a distribution.
- Skewness
The third central moment, indicating the asymmetry of the distribution.
- Kurtosis
The fourth central moment, measuring the peakedness or flatness of the distribution.
Reference links
Supplementary resources to enhance your learning experience.