Beta Distribution – Calculating Parameters using Mean and Variance

Question

How can I calculate the $\alpha$ and $\beta$ parameters for a Beta distribution if I know the mean and variance that I want the distribution to have? Examples of an R command to do this would be most helpful.

Answer 1

I set$$\mu=\frac{\alpha}{\alpha+\beta}$$and$$\sigma^2=\frac{\alpha\beta}{(\alpha+\beta)^2(\alpha+\beta+1)}$$and solved for $\alpha$ and $\beta$. My results show that$$\alpha=\left(\frac{1-\mu}{\sigma^2}-\frac{1}{\mu}\right)\mu^2$$and$$\beta=\alpha\left(\frac{1}{\mu}-1\right)$$

I've written up some R code to estimate the parameters of the Beta distribution from a given mean, mu, and variance, var:

estBetaParams <- function(mu, var) {
  alpha <- ((1 - mu) / var - 1 / mu) * mu ^ 2
  beta <- alpha * (1 / mu - 1)
  return(params = list(alpha = alpha, beta = beta))
}

There's been some confusion around the bounds of $\mu$ and $\sigma^2$ for any given Beta distribution, so let's make that clear here.

1. $\mu=\frac{\alpha}{\alpha+\beta}\in\left(0, 1\right)$
2. $\sigma^2=\frac{\alpha\beta}{\left(\alpha+\beta\right)^2\left(\alpha+\beta+1\right)}=\frac{\mu\left(1-\mu\right)}{\alpha+\beta+1}<\frac{\mu\left(1-\mu\right)}{1}=\mu\left(1-\mu\right)\in\left(0,0.5^2\right)$