Solved – “Let random variables $X_1,\dots, X_n$ be a iid random sample from $f(x)$” – what does it mean

iidmathematical-statisticsrandom variablesampling

In books it is often written, Let random variables $X_1,\dots, X_n$ be a iid random sample from $f(x)$. What does it mean?

Are $X_1,X_2,\dots,X_n$ different values of one random variable $X$ which follows distribution $f(x)$, or all of them are different random variables?

If I have a dataset of 1000 persons' height (normally distributed) and $X$ is height of an individual and if I take a random sample then what are $X_1,X_2,\dots,X_n$? What does the term iid means?

Best Answer

That's correct, $X_1, X_2, ..., X_n$ are $n$ independent and identically distributed (i.i.d.) values of the same variable drawn from the same distribution $f(x)$.

The term "i.i.d." means the values of $X$ are completely independent (the probability that $X$ assumes a particular value for record $i$ is unrelated to the values of $X$ for other records) and all values of $X$ are random pulls from the same distribution (e.g., the normal distribution with a given mean and variance).

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