[Math] limit/limsup of a sequence of random variables

probability theory

Suppose $X_i$'s are i.i.d, with the density distribution $f(x) = e^{-x}$, $x \geq 0$. I was able to show that
$$P(\limsup X_n/\log{n} =1)=1$$ using Borel-Cantelli.

Define $M_n=\max \{X_1,\ldots,X_n\}$, can I claim $M_n/\log{n} \rightarrow 1$ a.s. in this case? Is it still true in general without knowing the distribution of $X_i$?

Best Answer

If $F(x) = 1 - e^{-x}$ for $x > 0$ is the CDF of each $X_i$, the CDF of $M_n$ is $F_{M_n}(x) = F(x)^n = (1 - e^{-x})^n$ for $x > 0$. Note that $\ln(F_{M_n}(x)) = n \ln(1 - e^{-x})$ and since $- t - t^2 < \ln(1-t) < -t$ for $0 < t < .683$, for any $c>0$ we have $-n^{1-c} - n^{1-2c} \le \ln(F_(M_n)(c \ln n)) \le -n^{1-c}$ for $n$ large enough. If $c < 1$, this says $P\left( \frac{M_n}{\ln n} \le c\right) \le e^{-n^{1-c}}$, and $\sum_n e^{-n^{1-c}} < \infty$ so almost surely only finitely many $\frac{M_n}{\ln n} \le c$. If $c > 1$, $P(\left( \frac{M_n}{\ln n} \le c \right) \ge e^{-n^{1-c} - n^{1-2c}} \to 1$ as $n \to \infty$, so almost surely infinitely many $\frac{M_n}{\ln n} \le c$. Thus $\lim \sup_n \frac{M_n}{\ln n} = 1$ almost surely. However, it's not so clear to me that $\lim \inf_n \frac{M_n}{\ln n} = 1$ almost surely.

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