Unbiased estimator of an uniform distribution

order-statisticsparameter estimationprobability distributionsstatistics

Let $X_1,…,X_n$ be i.i.d r.v's from the $U(\theta,2\theta)$, with $0<\theta<\infty$ distribution and set

$$Y_1=\frac{n+1}{2 n+1} X_{(n)} $$

Prove that $Y_1$ is an unbiased estimator of $\theta$.

Since I need to prove that $E(Y_1)-\theta = 0$ and $X_n$ is the maximum.
The p.d.f of $X_n$ is equal to $n\theta^{-n} x^{n – 1}$, the expected value of $Y_1$ is

$$E(Y_1)=\frac{n+1}{2 n+1} \text{n$\theta $}^{-n} \int_{\theta }^{2 \theta } x^n \, dx$$
$$=\frac{2^{n+1} \text{n$\theta $}-\text{n$\theta $}}{2 n+1}$$

But with this result $E(Y_1)\neq\theta$. I would like to know if is necessary take another approach to prove that $Y_1$ is an unbiased estimator or if I made a mistake in my attempt.

Best Answer

$$E[Y_1]=\frac{n(n+1)}{(2n+1)\theta^n}\int_{\theta}^{2\theta}t(t-\theta)^{n-1}dt=\dots=\theta$$

In fact

$$F_{X_{(n)}}(t)=\Bigg(\frac{t-\theta}{\theta}\Bigg)^n$$

...the rest easy follows

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Your error was that you considered the distribution of an uniform $U(0;\theta)$ and not correctly $U(\theta;2\theta)$