[Math] Sum of independent symmetric random variables is symmetric

probabilityprobability theoryproof-writing

This is exercise 3.2.5 from Probability and Random Processes by Grimmett and Stirzaker:

Let $X_r$, $1 \leq r \leq n$, be independent random variables which are discrete and symmetric about $0$, that is, $X_r$ and $-X_r$ have the same distributions. Show that for all $x$, $P(S_n \geq x) = P(S_n \leq -x)$ where $S_n = \sum_{r = 1}^n X_r$.

Is the following proof correct?

$\textbf{Proof:}$

Let $x \in \mathbb{R}$ be arbitrary. Then,

\begin{eqnarray}
P(S_n \geq x) & = & P\left(\sum_{r = 1}^n X_r \geq x\right) \\
& = & P\left(\underset{x_1 + \cdots + x_n \geq x}{\bigcup_{x_1, \ldots, x_n}} \{X_1 = x_1\} \cap \cdots \cap \{X_n = x_n\} \right) \\
& = & \underset{x_1 + \cdots + x_n \geq x}{\sum_{x_1, \ldots, x_n}} P\left(\{X_1 = x_1\} \cap \cdots \cap \{X_n = x_n\}\right) \\
& = & \underset{x_1 + \cdots + x_n \geq x}{\sum_{x_1, \ldots, x_n}} P\left(\{X_1 = x_1\}) \cdots P(\{X_n = x_n\}\right) \textrm{(from independence of variables)}\\
& = & \underset{x_1 + \cdots + x_n \leq -x}{\sum_{x_1, \ldots, x_n}} P\left(\{X_1 = -x_1\}) \cdots P(\{X_n = -x_n\}\right) \textrm{(from symmetry of variables)} \\
& = & \underset{x_1 + \cdots + x_n \leq -x}{\sum_{x_1, \ldots, x_n}} P\left(\{X_1 = -x_1\} \cap \cdots \cap \{X_n = -x_n\}\right) \textrm{(from independence of variables)}\\
& = & P\left(\underset{x_1 + \cdots + x_n \leq -x}{\bigcup_{x_1, \ldots, x_n}} \{X_1 = -x_1\} \cap \cdots \cap \{X_n = -x_n\} \right) \\
& = & P\left(\sum_{r = 1}^n X_r \leq -x\right) \\
& = & P(S_n \leq -x)
\end{eqnarray}

as required. $\square$

Is there a quicker/better way of proving the result?

Best Answer

Everything seems correct.

But yes, there is both quicker and better way, based on the fact (which is easy to prove) that a random variable is symmetric iff its characteristic function is real-valued. Given this, the symmetry of $S_n$ immediately follows from $$ \varphi_{S_n} (t) = \prod_{k=1}^n \varphi_{X_k}(t). $$

It is better because it allows to prove the required property for any random variables, not only for discrete.

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