Derive multivariate from bivariate normal distributionIs it possible to have a pair of Gaussian random variables for which the joint distribution is not Gaussian?Deriving the conditional distributions of a multivariate normal distributioninequality in bivariate normal variableJointed distribution of normal random variablesscore function of bivariate/multivariate normal distributionIntuitiveness for Condition Distribution of a Multivariate Normal (MVN) Random Variable?Expressing the likelihood of the multivariate normalCompute moments of maximum of multivariate normal distributionShow that $(mathbfx, boldsymbolThetamathbfx+boldsymboleta)$ is jointly normalHow do I find the “elliptical confidence region” from columns of a matrix that follows the Wishart distribution?Deriving the joint probability density function from a given marginal density function and conditional density function
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Derive multivariate from bivariate normal distribution
Is it possible to have a pair of Gaussian random variables for which the joint distribution is not Gaussian?Deriving the conditional distributions of a multivariate normal distributioninequality in bivariate normal variableJointed distribution of normal random variablesscore function of bivariate/multivariate normal distributionIntuitiveness for Condition Distribution of a Multivariate Normal (MVN) Random Variable?Expressing the likelihood of the multivariate normalCompute moments of maximum of multivariate normal distributionShow that $(mathbfx, boldsymbolThetamathbfx+boldsymboleta)$ is jointly normalHow do I find the “elliptical confidence region” from columns of a matrix that follows the Wishart distribution?Deriving the joint probability density function from a given marginal density function and conditional density function
$begingroup$
Could anyone help me on the following.
Let $K$ and $M$ be integers so that $Kgeq3$ and $2leq M < K$. Let $boldsymbolX=(X_1, ..., X_K)^T$ be a random vector, $boldsymbolmu$ be a $Ktimes 1$ vector, and $Sigma_Ktimes K$ be a positive definite matrix.
We all know that if $boldsymbolXsim N(boldsymbolmu, Sigma)$ then every $M-$variate marginal distribution is also normal.
Suppose inversely that for every $M-$variate marginal distribution is normal, i.e.,
beginequation*
(X_i1, ..., X_iM)^Tsim N(boldsymbolmu^', Sigma^')
endequation*
where $boldsymbolmu^', Sigma^'$ is obtained by keeping only corresponding rows and columns of $boldsymbolmu, Sigma$, respectively. Does this lead to the following
beginequation*
boldsymbolXsim N(boldsymbolmu, Sigma).
endequation*
Thank you so much!
probability distributions normal-distribution multivariate-normal multivariate-distribution
New contributor
TDT is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
$endgroup$
add a comment |
$begingroup$
Could anyone help me on the following.
Let $K$ and $M$ be integers so that $Kgeq3$ and $2leq M < K$. Let $boldsymbolX=(X_1, ..., X_K)^T$ be a random vector, $boldsymbolmu$ be a $Ktimes 1$ vector, and $Sigma_Ktimes K$ be a positive definite matrix.
We all know that if $boldsymbolXsim N(boldsymbolmu, Sigma)$ then every $M-$variate marginal distribution is also normal.
Suppose inversely that for every $M-$variate marginal distribution is normal, i.e.,
beginequation*
(X_i1, ..., X_iM)^Tsim N(boldsymbolmu^', Sigma^')
endequation*
where $boldsymbolmu^', Sigma^'$ is obtained by keeping only corresponding rows and columns of $boldsymbolmu, Sigma$, respectively. Does this lead to the following
beginequation*
boldsymbolXsim N(boldsymbolmu, Sigma).
endequation*
Thank you so much!
probability distributions normal-distribution multivariate-normal multivariate-distribution
New contributor
TDT is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
$endgroup$
$begingroup$
Is this homework? You might need to add the self-study tag.
$endgroup$
– The Laconic
4 hours ago
$begingroup$
@TheLaconic: No, it is not an exercise. I am modeling a multivariate distribution by using smaller dimension, for example, bivariate. Before receiving the answer(s) below, I do hope I can approximate the multivariate by using bivariate. I have obtained simulated results, combining with the answer here, I think this is not generally true.
$endgroup$
– TDT
2 hours ago
add a comment |
$begingroup$
Could anyone help me on the following.
Let $K$ and $M$ be integers so that $Kgeq3$ and $2leq M < K$. Let $boldsymbolX=(X_1, ..., X_K)^T$ be a random vector, $boldsymbolmu$ be a $Ktimes 1$ vector, and $Sigma_Ktimes K$ be a positive definite matrix.
We all know that if $boldsymbolXsim N(boldsymbolmu, Sigma)$ then every $M-$variate marginal distribution is also normal.
Suppose inversely that for every $M-$variate marginal distribution is normal, i.e.,
beginequation*
(X_i1, ..., X_iM)^Tsim N(boldsymbolmu^', Sigma^')
endequation*
where $boldsymbolmu^', Sigma^'$ is obtained by keeping only corresponding rows and columns of $boldsymbolmu, Sigma$, respectively. Does this lead to the following
beginequation*
boldsymbolXsim N(boldsymbolmu, Sigma).
endequation*
Thank you so much!
probability distributions normal-distribution multivariate-normal multivariate-distribution
New contributor
TDT is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
$endgroup$
Could anyone help me on the following.
Let $K$ and $M$ be integers so that $Kgeq3$ and $2leq M < K$. Let $boldsymbolX=(X_1, ..., X_K)^T$ be a random vector, $boldsymbolmu$ be a $Ktimes 1$ vector, and $Sigma_Ktimes K$ be a positive definite matrix.
We all know that if $boldsymbolXsim N(boldsymbolmu, Sigma)$ then every $M-$variate marginal distribution is also normal.
Suppose inversely that for every $M-$variate marginal distribution is normal, i.e.,
beginequation*
(X_i1, ..., X_iM)^Tsim N(boldsymbolmu^', Sigma^')
endequation*
where $boldsymbolmu^', Sigma^'$ is obtained by keeping only corresponding rows and columns of $boldsymbolmu, Sigma$, respectively. Does this lead to the following
beginequation*
boldsymbolXsim N(boldsymbolmu, Sigma).
endequation*
Thank you so much!
probability distributions normal-distribution multivariate-normal multivariate-distribution
probability distributions normal-distribution multivariate-normal multivariate-distribution
New contributor
TDT is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
New contributor
TDT is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
New contributor
TDT is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
asked 6 hours ago
TDTTDT
112
112
New contributor
TDT is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
New contributor
TDT is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
TDT is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
$begingroup$
Is this homework? You might need to add the self-study tag.
$endgroup$
– The Laconic
4 hours ago
$begingroup$
@TheLaconic: No, it is not an exercise. I am modeling a multivariate distribution by using smaller dimension, for example, bivariate. Before receiving the answer(s) below, I do hope I can approximate the multivariate by using bivariate. I have obtained simulated results, combining with the answer here, I think this is not generally true.
$endgroup$
– TDT
2 hours ago
add a comment |
$begingroup$
Is this homework? You might need to add the self-study tag.
$endgroup$
– The Laconic
4 hours ago
$begingroup$
@TheLaconic: No, it is not an exercise. I am modeling a multivariate distribution by using smaller dimension, for example, bivariate. Before receiving the answer(s) below, I do hope I can approximate the multivariate by using bivariate. I have obtained simulated results, combining with the answer here, I think this is not generally true.
$endgroup$
– TDT
2 hours ago
$begingroup$
Is this homework? You might need to add the self-study tag.
$endgroup$
– The Laconic
4 hours ago
$begingroup$
Is this homework? You might need to add the self-study tag.
$endgroup$
– The Laconic
4 hours ago
$begingroup$
@TheLaconic: No, it is not an exercise. I am modeling a multivariate distribution by using smaller dimension, for example, bivariate. Before receiving the answer(s) below, I do hope I can approximate the multivariate by using bivariate. I have obtained simulated results, combining with the answer here, I think this is not generally true.
$endgroup$
– TDT
2 hours ago
$begingroup$
@TheLaconic: No, it is not an exercise. I am modeling a multivariate distribution by using smaller dimension, for example, bivariate. Before receiving the answer(s) below, I do hope I can approximate the multivariate by using bivariate. I have obtained simulated results, combining with the answer here, I think this is not generally true.
$endgroup$
– TDT
2 hours ago
add a comment |
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
$begingroup$
I'm afraid this is not generally true. A counterexample is afforded by emulating a standard example of a non-normal bivariate distribution whose marginals are normal: erase all probability from (say) the second and fourth quadrants, as shown in the upper right example of Cardinal's answer.

Extend this to the case $M=2,K=3$ in a similar way: beginning with a standard trivariate Normal distribution, erase all probability in the octants where an odd number of $X_1,X_2,X_3$ are negative. This R example shows how to generate data from this distribution.
n <- 1e4 # Approximately twice the desired sample size
K <- 3 # Must be 3 or greater
Y <- matrix(rnorm(K*n), n, dimnames=list(NULL, paste0("X.", 1:K)))
X <- Y[rowSums(Y >= 0) %% 2 == 0, ]
The last line removes every vector in which an odd number of the components are negative.
A picture should convince you that this works (and will lead easily to a rigorous demonstration that all three $M$-variate marginals are standard Normal). Here is a scatterplot matrix:
pairs(X, pch=16, col="#00000003")

Nevertheless, this is clearly not $K$-variate normal, because the variable determined by counting the positive components does not have a Binomial$(1/2,3)$ distribution:
table(rowSums(X >= 0))
0 2
1235 3778
This approach is not special to the case $K=3,M=2:$ it generalizes to all $M$ and $K.$ I want to convince you all the multivariate marginals remain Normal, perhaps by simulating data as above. The challenge in a simulation is to perform an adequate test of multivariate normality in all the margins. One way is to check that random linear combinations are Normal.
For $K=4,$ I conducted that test with 500 random linear combinations for each multivariate marginal, using a chi-squared test based on binning the results into 20 quantiles of the standard Normal distribution. For comparison, I did the same thing with a sample from a multivariate standard Normal distribution of the same size. To compare the results, here are histograms of the chi-squared p-values. The column labels are the columns determining the marginal distributions. The "fake" multivariate Normal is plotted along the top row while the reference ("real") multivariate Normal is plotted along the bottom row.

We expect these histograms to be approximately uniform for a truly $K$-variate Normal distribution. They depart from this a little bit because the linear combinations are not independent of each other. However, by comparing the frequencies of lower p-values in each column but the last, it is abundantly clear that according to these tests the "fake" $K$-variate distribution looks just as Normal for all $M$-variate marginals. Because the frequency of low p-values is so much greater for $K=M$ (rightmost column) it does not look at all like it's $K$-variate Normal, even though all the $M$-variate marginals for $2le M lt K$ do appear Normal.
For those who would like to experiment, here is the full R code used to generate the examples and figures.
set.seed(17)
n <- 1e4
K <- 3 # Must be 3 or greater
Y <- matrix(rnorm(K*n), n, dimnames=list(NULL, paste0("X.", 1:K)))
X <- Y[rowSums(Y >= 0) %% 2 == 0, ]
Y <- Y[1:nrow(X), ]
Y <- Y * matrix(sample.int(2, length(Y), replace=TRUE)*2 - 3, ncol=K)
pairs(X, pch=16, col="#00000003")
table(rowSums(X >= 0)) # "Fake" multivariate normal distribution
table(rowSums(Y >= 0)) # "Real" MVN distribution
#
# To verify M-variate Normality, study all M-subsets of 1,2,...,K for
# normality. A quick check is to take random linear combinations and test
# them for normality.
#
cutpoints <- qnorm(cutpoints.p <- seq(0, 1, by=0.05))
combine <- function(l) if("list" %in% class(l)) do.call("rbind", l) else l
n.tests <- 500
models <- list(`Non-normal`=X, Normal=Y)
df <- combine(lapply(names(models), function(Z.name)
Z <- models[[Z.name]]
combine(lapply(2:K, function(M)
combine(apply(combn(K, M), 2, function(j)
Margin <- Z[, j]
p <- sapply(1:n.tests, function(i)
y <- rnorm(M)
z <- Margin %*% (y / sqrt(sum(y^2)))
chisq.test(table(cut(z, cutpoints)))$p.value
)
data.frame(p=p, Model=Z.name, Dimension=M, Margins=paste(j, collapse=","))
))
))
))
#
# Plot histograms of the p-values.
#
library(ggplot2)
ggplot(df, aes(p)) +
geom_histogram(aes(fill=Margins), show.legend=FALSE, binwidth=0.05, boundary=0) +
facet_grid(Model ~ Margins)
$endgroup$
add a comment |
$begingroup$
This is an interesting question. I like it.
So let us construct a counterexample to show that this does not hold in general. Let us assume $K=3$ and let us consider two independent normal variables $X_1$ and $X_2$ satisfying the standard normal distribution $X_1,X_2propto mathcalN(0,1)$.
Let us construct the variable $X_3$ as follows
beginequation
X_3=begincases
X_2 & forqquad X_2geq X_1\
-X_2 & forqquad X_2<X_1
endcases
endequation
Joint distribution of $X_3$ and $X_1$, $P(X_3,X_1)$: joint Normal and independent. Because the realization of $X_2$ does not depend on $X_1$. Reflections at the origin do not change this result.
Joint distribution of $X_3$ and $X_2$, $P(X_3,X_2)$: joint Normal and dependent. The threshold construction does not destroy normality as we are integrating out $X_1$ and $X_1$ and $X_2$ are independent by assumption.
Joint distribution of $X_1$ and $X_2$: independent and normal by assumption
But clearly, the joint distribution $P(X_1,X_2,X_3)$ can not be expressed as a multivariate Gauss Distribution.
Of course, by assumption! You assume
Suppose inversely that for every M−variate marginal distribution is normal
Hence, the full K-variate marginal distribution must also be normal, isint it? >>>Otherwise it would conflict with your above assumption.
$endgroup$
$begingroup$
Please read the question carefully: it is explicit that $M$ is always strictly less than $K.$ If you think somebody has posted such a trivial question, then it's better to ask them about their intentions in a comment, because usually there is substance to the questions asked here.
$endgroup$
– whuber♦
3 hours ago
$begingroup$
It would be easier to read if you would repeat the most critical part of your assumption in the assumption itself. Thanks. Let me think about it.
$endgroup$
– Gkhan Cebs
54 mins ago
$begingroup$
Sorry about being unclear: I'm referring to the assumption "$2leq M lt K$" in the question.
$endgroup$
– whuber♦
53 mins ago
add a comment |
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2 Answers
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2 Answers
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$begingroup$
I'm afraid this is not generally true. A counterexample is afforded by emulating a standard example of a non-normal bivariate distribution whose marginals are normal: erase all probability from (say) the second and fourth quadrants, as shown in the upper right example of Cardinal's answer.

Extend this to the case $M=2,K=3$ in a similar way: beginning with a standard trivariate Normal distribution, erase all probability in the octants where an odd number of $X_1,X_2,X_3$ are negative. This R example shows how to generate data from this distribution.
n <- 1e4 # Approximately twice the desired sample size
K <- 3 # Must be 3 or greater
Y <- matrix(rnorm(K*n), n, dimnames=list(NULL, paste0("X.", 1:K)))
X <- Y[rowSums(Y >= 0) %% 2 == 0, ]
The last line removes every vector in which an odd number of the components are negative.
A picture should convince you that this works (and will lead easily to a rigorous demonstration that all three $M$-variate marginals are standard Normal). Here is a scatterplot matrix:
pairs(X, pch=16, col="#00000003")

Nevertheless, this is clearly not $K$-variate normal, because the variable determined by counting the positive components does not have a Binomial$(1/2,3)$ distribution:
table(rowSums(X >= 0))
0 2
1235 3778
This approach is not special to the case $K=3,M=2:$ it generalizes to all $M$ and $K.$ I want to convince you all the multivariate marginals remain Normal, perhaps by simulating data as above. The challenge in a simulation is to perform an adequate test of multivariate normality in all the margins. One way is to check that random linear combinations are Normal.
For $K=4,$ I conducted that test with 500 random linear combinations for each multivariate marginal, using a chi-squared test based on binning the results into 20 quantiles of the standard Normal distribution. For comparison, I did the same thing with a sample from a multivariate standard Normal distribution of the same size. To compare the results, here are histograms of the chi-squared p-values. The column labels are the columns determining the marginal distributions. The "fake" multivariate Normal is plotted along the top row while the reference ("real") multivariate Normal is plotted along the bottom row.

We expect these histograms to be approximately uniform for a truly $K$-variate Normal distribution. They depart from this a little bit because the linear combinations are not independent of each other. However, by comparing the frequencies of lower p-values in each column but the last, it is abundantly clear that according to these tests the "fake" $K$-variate distribution looks just as Normal for all $M$-variate marginals. Because the frequency of low p-values is so much greater for $K=M$ (rightmost column) it does not look at all like it's $K$-variate Normal, even though all the $M$-variate marginals for $2le M lt K$ do appear Normal.
For those who would like to experiment, here is the full R code used to generate the examples and figures.
set.seed(17)
n <- 1e4
K <- 3 # Must be 3 or greater
Y <- matrix(rnorm(K*n), n, dimnames=list(NULL, paste0("X.", 1:K)))
X <- Y[rowSums(Y >= 0) %% 2 == 0, ]
Y <- Y[1:nrow(X), ]
Y <- Y * matrix(sample.int(2, length(Y), replace=TRUE)*2 - 3, ncol=K)
pairs(X, pch=16, col="#00000003")
table(rowSums(X >= 0)) # "Fake" multivariate normal distribution
table(rowSums(Y >= 0)) # "Real" MVN distribution
#
# To verify M-variate Normality, study all M-subsets of 1,2,...,K for
# normality. A quick check is to take random linear combinations and test
# them for normality.
#
cutpoints <- qnorm(cutpoints.p <- seq(0, 1, by=0.05))
combine <- function(l) if("list" %in% class(l)) do.call("rbind", l) else l
n.tests <- 500
models <- list(`Non-normal`=X, Normal=Y)
df <- combine(lapply(names(models), function(Z.name)
Z <- models[[Z.name]]
combine(lapply(2:K, function(M)
combine(apply(combn(K, M), 2, function(j)
Margin <- Z[, j]
p <- sapply(1:n.tests, function(i)
y <- rnorm(M)
z <- Margin %*% (y / sqrt(sum(y^2)))
chisq.test(table(cut(z, cutpoints)))$p.value
)
data.frame(p=p, Model=Z.name, Dimension=M, Margins=paste(j, collapse=","))
))
))
))
#
# Plot histograms of the p-values.
#
library(ggplot2)
ggplot(df, aes(p)) +
geom_histogram(aes(fill=Margins), show.legend=FALSE, binwidth=0.05, boundary=0) +
facet_grid(Model ~ Margins)
$endgroup$
add a comment |
$begingroup$
I'm afraid this is not generally true. A counterexample is afforded by emulating a standard example of a non-normal bivariate distribution whose marginals are normal: erase all probability from (say) the second and fourth quadrants, as shown in the upper right example of Cardinal's answer.

Extend this to the case $M=2,K=3$ in a similar way: beginning with a standard trivariate Normal distribution, erase all probability in the octants where an odd number of $X_1,X_2,X_3$ are negative. This R example shows how to generate data from this distribution.
n <- 1e4 # Approximately twice the desired sample size
K <- 3 # Must be 3 or greater
Y <- matrix(rnorm(K*n), n, dimnames=list(NULL, paste0("X.", 1:K)))
X <- Y[rowSums(Y >= 0) %% 2 == 0, ]
The last line removes every vector in which an odd number of the components are negative.
A picture should convince you that this works (and will lead easily to a rigorous demonstration that all three $M$-variate marginals are standard Normal). Here is a scatterplot matrix:
pairs(X, pch=16, col="#00000003")

Nevertheless, this is clearly not $K$-variate normal, because the variable determined by counting the positive components does not have a Binomial$(1/2,3)$ distribution:
table(rowSums(X >= 0))
0 2
1235 3778
This approach is not special to the case $K=3,M=2:$ it generalizes to all $M$ and $K.$ I want to convince you all the multivariate marginals remain Normal, perhaps by simulating data as above. The challenge in a simulation is to perform an adequate test of multivariate normality in all the margins. One way is to check that random linear combinations are Normal.
For $K=4,$ I conducted that test with 500 random linear combinations for each multivariate marginal, using a chi-squared test based on binning the results into 20 quantiles of the standard Normal distribution. For comparison, I did the same thing with a sample from a multivariate standard Normal distribution of the same size. To compare the results, here are histograms of the chi-squared p-values. The column labels are the columns determining the marginal distributions. The "fake" multivariate Normal is plotted along the top row while the reference ("real") multivariate Normal is plotted along the bottom row.

We expect these histograms to be approximately uniform for a truly $K$-variate Normal distribution. They depart from this a little bit because the linear combinations are not independent of each other. However, by comparing the frequencies of lower p-values in each column but the last, it is abundantly clear that according to these tests the "fake" $K$-variate distribution looks just as Normal for all $M$-variate marginals. Because the frequency of low p-values is so much greater for $K=M$ (rightmost column) it does not look at all like it's $K$-variate Normal, even though all the $M$-variate marginals for $2le M lt K$ do appear Normal.
For those who would like to experiment, here is the full R code used to generate the examples and figures.
set.seed(17)
n <- 1e4
K <- 3 # Must be 3 or greater
Y <- matrix(rnorm(K*n), n, dimnames=list(NULL, paste0("X.", 1:K)))
X <- Y[rowSums(Y >= 0) %% 2 == 0, ]
Y <- Y[1:nrow(X), ]
Y <- Y * matrix(sample.int(2, length(Y), replace=TRUE)*2 - 3, ncol=K)
pairs(X, pch=16, col="#00000003")
table(rowSums(X >= 0)) # "Fake" multivariate normal distribution
table(rowSums(Y >= 0)) # "Real" MVN distribution
#
# To verify M-variate Normality, study all M-subsets of 1,2,...,K for
# normality. A quick check is to take random linear combinations and test
# them for normality.
#
cutpoints <- qnorm(cutpoints.p <- seq(0, 1, by=0.05))
combine <- function(l) if("list" %in% class(l)) do.call("rbind", l) else l
n.tests <- 500
models <- list(`Non-normal`=X, Normal=Y)
df <- combine(lapply(names(models), function(Z.name)
Z <- models[[Z.name]]
combine(lapply(2:K, function(M)
combine(apply(combn(K, M), 2, function(j)
Margin <- Z[, j]
p <- sapply(1:n.tests, function(i)
y <- rnorm(M)
z <- Margin %*% (y / sqrt(sum(y^2)))
chisq.test(table(cut(z, cutpoints)))$p.value
)
data.frame(p=p, Model=Z.name, Dimension=M, Margins=paste(j, collapse=","))
))
))
))
#
# Plot histograms of the p-values.
#
library(ggplot2)
ggplot(df, aes(p)) +
geom_histogram(aes(fill=Margins), show.legend=FALSE, binwidth=0.05, boundary=0) +
facet_grid(Model ~ Margins)
$endgroup$
add a comment |
$begingroup$
I'm afraid this is not generally true. A counterexample is afforded by emulating a standard example of a non-normal bivariate distribution whose marginals are normal: erase all probability from (say) the second and fourth quadrants, as shown in the upper right example of Cardinal's answer.

Extend this to the case $M=2,K=3$ in a similar way: beginning with a standard trivariate Normal distribution, erase all probability in the octants where an odd number of $X_1,X_2,X_3$ are negative. This R example shows how to generate data from this distribution.
n <- 1e4 # Approximately twice the desired sample size
K <- 3 # Must be 3 or greater
Y <- matrix(rnorm(K*n), n, dimnames=list(NULL, paste0("X.", 1:K)))
X <- Y[rowSums(Y >= 0) %% 2 == 0, ]
The last line removes every vector in which an odd number of the components are negative.
A picture should convince you that this works (and will lead easily to a rigorous demonstration that all three $M$-variate marginals are standard Normal). Here is a scatterplot matrix:
pairs(X, pch=16, col="#00000003")

Nevertheless, this is clearly not $K$-variate normal, because the variable determined by counting the positive components does not have a Binomial$(1/2,3)$ distribution:
table(rowSums(X >= 0))
0 2
1235 3778
This approach is not special to the case $K=3,M=2:$ it generalizes to all $M$ and $K.$ I want to convince you all the multivariate marginals remain Normal, perhaps by simulating data as above. The challenge in a simulation is to perform an adequate test of multivariate normality in all the margins. One way is to check that random linear combinations are Normal.
For $K=4,$ I conducted that test with 500 random linear combinations for each multivariate marginal, using a chi-squared test based on binning the results into 20 quantiles of the standard Normal distribution. For comparison, I did the same thing with a sample from a multivariate standard Normal distribution of the same size. To compare the results, here are histograms of the chi-squared p-values. The column labels are the columns determining the marginal distributions. The "fake" multivariate Normal is plotted along the top row while the reference ("real") multivariate Normal is plotted along the bottom row.

We expect these histograms to be approximately uniform for a truly $K$-variate Normal distribution. They depart from this a little bit because the linear combinations are not independent of each other. However, by comparing the frequencies of lower p-values in each column but the last, it is abundantly clear that according to these tests the "fake" $K$-variate distribution looks just as Normal for all $M$-variate marginals. Because the frequency of low p-values is so much greater for $K=M$ (rightmost column) it does not look at all like it's $K$-variate Normal, even though all the $M$-variate marginals for $2le M lt K$ do appear Normal.
For those who would like to experiment, here is the full R code used to generate the examples and figures.
set.seed(17)
n <- 1e4
K <- 3 # Must be 3 or greater
Y <- matrix(rnorm(K*n), n, dimnames=list(NULL, paste0("X.", 1:K)))
X <- Y[rowSums(Y >= 0) %% 2 == 0, ]
Y <- Y[1:nrow(X), ]
Y <- Y * matrix(sample.int(2, length(Y), replace=TRUE)*2 - 3, ncol=K)
pairs(X, pch=16, col="#00000003")
table(rowSums(X >= 0)) # "Fake" multivariate normal distribution
table(rowSums(Y >= 0)) # "Real" MVN distribution
#
# To verify M-variate Normality, study all M-subsets of 1,2,...,K for
# normality. A quick check is to take random linear combinations and test
# them for normality.
#
cutpoints <- qnorm(cutpoints.p <- seq(0, 1, by=0.05))
combine <- function(l) if("list" %in% class(l)) do.call("rbind", l) else l
n.tests <- 500
models <- list(`Non-normal`=X, Normal=Y)
df <- combine(lapply(names(models), function(Z.name)
Z <- models[[Z.name]]
combine(lapply(2:K, function(M)
combine(apply(combn(K, M), 2, function(j)
Margin <- Z[, j]
p <- sapply(1:n.tests, function(i)
y <- rnorm(M)
z <- Margin %*% (y / sqrt(sum(y^2)))
chisq.test(table(cut(z, cutpoints)))$p.value
)
data.frame(p=p, Model=Z.name, Dimension=M, Margins=paste(j, collapse=","))
))
))
))
#
# Plot histograms of the p-values.
#
library(ggplot2)
ggplot(df, aes(p)) +
geom_histogram(aes(fill=Margins), show.legend=FALSE, binwidth=0.05, boundary=0) +
facet_grid(Model ~ Margins)
$endgroup$
I'm afraid this is not generally true. A counterexample is afforded by emulating a standard example of a non-normal bivariate distribution whose marginals are normal: erase all probability from (say) the second and fourth quadrants, as shown in the upper right example of Cardinal's answer.

Extend this to the case $M=2,K=3$ in a similar way: beginning with a standard trivariate Normal distribution, erase all probability in the octants where an odd number of $X_1,X_2,X_3$ are negative. This R example shows how to generate data from this distribution.
n <- 1e4 # Approximately twice the desired sample size
K <- 3 # Must be 3 or greater
Y <- matrix(rnorm(K*n), n, dimnames=list(NULL, paste0("X.", 1:K)))
X <- Y[rowSums(Y >= 0) %% 2 == 0, ]
The last line removes every vector in which an odd number of the components are negative.
A picture should convince you that this works (and will lead easily to a rigorous demonstration that all three $M$-variate marginals are standard Normal). Here is a scatterplot matrix:
pairs(X, pch=16, col="#00000003")

Nevertheless, this is clearly not $K$-variate normal, because the variable determined by counting the positive components does not have a Binomial$(1/2,3)$ distribution:
table(rowSums(X >= 0))
0 2
1235 3778
This approach is not special to the case $K=3,M=2:$ it generalizes to all $M$ and $K.$ I want to convince you all the multivariate marginals remain Normal, perhaps by simulating data as above. The challenge in a simulation is to perform an adequate test of multivariate normality in all the margins. One way is to check that random linear combinations are Normal.
For $K=4,$ I conducted that test with 500 random linear combinations for each multivariate marginal, using a chi-squared test based on binning the results into 20 quantiles of the standard Normal distribution. For comparison, I did the same thing with a sample from a multivariate standard Normal distribution of the same size. To compare the results, here are histograms of the chi-squared p-values. The column labels are the columns determining the marginal distributions. The "fake" multivariate Normal is plotted along the top row while the reference ("real") multivariate Normal is plotted along the bottom row.

We expect these histograms to be approximately uniform for a truly $K$-variate Normal distribution. They depart from this a little bit because the linear combinations are not independent of each other. However, by comparing the frequencies of lower p-values in each column but the last, it is abundantly clear that according to these tests the "fake" $K$-variate distribution looks just as Normal for all $M$-variate marginals. Because the frequency of low p-values is so much greater for $K=M$ (rightmost column) it does not look at all like it's $K$-variate Normal, even though all the $M$-variate marginals for $2le M lt K$ do appear Normal.
For those who would like to experiment, here is the full R code used to generate the examples and figures.
set.seed(17)
n <- 1e4
K <- 3 # Must be 3 or greater
Y <- matrix(rnorm(K*n), n, dimnames=list(NULL, paste0("X.", 1:K)))
X <- Y[rowSums(Y >= 0) %% 2 == 0, ]
Y <- Y[1:nrow(X), ]
Y <- Y * matrix(sample.int(2, length(Y), replace=TRUE)*2 - 3, ncol=K)
pairs(X, pch=16, col="#00000003")
table(rowSums(X >= 0)) # "Fake" multivariate normal distribution
table(rowSums(Y >= 0)) # "Real" MVN distribution
#
# To verify M-variate Normality, study all M-subsets of 1,2,...,K for
# normality. A quick check is to take random linear combinations and test
# them for normality.
#
cutpoints <- qnorm(cutpoints.p <- seq(0, 1, by=0.05))
combine <- function(l) if("list" %in% class(l)) do.call("rbind", l) else l
n.tests <- 500
models <- list(`Non-normal`=X, Normal=Y)
df <- combine(lapply(names(models), function(Z.name)
Z <- models[[Z.name]]
combine(lapply(2:K, function(M)
combine(apply(combn(K, M), 2, function(j)
Margin <- Z[, j]
p <- sapply(1:n.tests, function(i)
y <- rnorm(M)
z <- Margin %*% (y / sqrt(sum(y^2)))
chisq.test(table(cut(z, cutpoints)))$p.value
)
data.frame(p=p, Model=Z.name, Dimension=M, Margins=paste(j, collapse=","))
))
))
))
#
# Plot histograms of the p-values.
#
library(ggplot2)
ggplot(df, aes(p)) +
geom_histogram(aes(fill=Margins), show.legend=FALSE, binwidth=0.05, boundary=0) +
facet_grid(Model ~ Margins)
edited 1 hour ago
answered 3 hours ago
whuber♦whuber
205k33449816
205k33449816
add a comment |
add a comment |
$begingroup$
This is an interesting question. I like it.
So let us construct a counterexample to show that this does not hold in general. Let us assume $K=3$ and let us consider two independent normal variables $X_1$ and $X_2$ satisfying the standard normal distribution $X_1,X_2propto mathcalN(0,1)$.
Let us construct the variable $X_3$ as follows
beginequation
X_3=begincases
X_2 & forqquad X_2geq X_1\
-X_2 & forqquad X_2<X_1
endcases
endequation
Joint distribution of $X_3$ and $X_1$, $P(X_3,X_1)$: joint Normal and independent. Because the realization of $X_2$ does not depend on $X_1$. Reflections at the origin do not change this result.
Joint distribution of $X_3$ and $X_2$, $P(X_3,X_2)$: joint Normal and dependent. The threshold construction does not destroy normality as we are integrating out $X_1$ and $X_1$ and $X_2$ are independent by assumption.
Joint distribution of $X_1$ and $X_2$: independent and normal by assumption
But clearly, the joint distribution $P(X_1,X_2,X_3)$ can not be expressed as a multivariate Gauss Distribution.
Of course, by assumption! You assume
Suppose inversely that for every M−variate marginal distribution is normal
Hence, the full K-variate marginal distribution must also be normal, isint it? >>>Otherwise it would conflict with your above assumption.
$endgroup$
$begingroup$
Please read the question carefully: it is explicit that $M$ is always strictly less than $K.$ If you think somebody has posted such a trivial question, then it's better to ask them about their intentions in a comment, because usually there is substance to the questions asked here.
$endgroup$
– whuber♦
3 hours ago
$begingroup$
It would be easier to read if you would repeat the most critical part of your assumption in the assumption itself. Thanks. Let me think about it.
$endgroup$
– Gkhan Cebs
54 mins ago
$begingroup$
Sorry about being unclear: I'm referring to the assumption "$2leq M lt K$" in the question.
$endgroup$
– whuber♦
53 mins ago
add a comment |
$begingroup$
This is an interesting question. I like it.
So let us construct a counterexample to show that this does not hold in general. Let us assume $K=3$ and let us consider two independent normal variables $X_1$ and $X_2$ satisfying the standard normal distribution $X_1,X_2propto mathcalN(0,1)$.
Let us construct the variable $X_3$ as follows
beginequation
X_3=begincases
X_2 & forqquad X_2geq X_1\
-X_2 & forqquad X_2<X_1
endcases
endequation
Joint distribution of $X_3$ and $X_1$, $P(X_3,X_1)$: joint Normal and independent. Because the realization of $X_2$ does not depend on $X_1$. Reflections at the origin do not change this result.
Joint distribution of $X_3$ and $X_2$, $P(X_3,X_2)$: joint Normal and dependent. The threshold construction does not destroy normality as we are integrating out $X_1$ and $X_1$ and $X_2$ are independent by assumption.
Joint distribution of $X_1$ and $X_2$: independent and normal by assumption
But clearly, the joint distribution $P(X_1,X_2,X_3)$ can not be expressed as a multivariate Gauss Distribution.
Of course, by assumption! You assume
Suppose inversely that for every M−variate marginal distribution is normal
Hence, the full K-variate marginal distribution must also be normal, isint it? >>>Otherwise it would conflict with your above assumption.
$endgroup$
$begingroup$
Please read the question carefully: it is explicit that $M$ is always strictly less than $K.$ If you think somebody has posted such a trivial question, then it's better to ask them about their intentions in a comment, because usually there is substance to the questions asked here.
$endgroup$
– whuber♦
3 hours ago
$begingroup$
It would be easier to read if you would repeat the most critical part of your assumption in the assumption itself. Thanks. Let me think about it.
$endgroup$
– Gkhan Cebs
54 mins ago
$begingroup$
Sorry about being unclear: I'm referring to the assumption "$2leq M lt K$" in the question.
$endgroup$
– whuber♦
53 mins ago
add a comment |
$begingroup$
This is an interesting question. I like it.
So let us construct a counterexample to show that this does not hold in general. Let us assume $K=3$ and let us consider two independent normal variables $X_1$ and $X_2$ satisfying the standard normal distribution $X_1,X_2propto mathcalN(0,1)$.
Let us construct the variable $X_3$ as follows
beginequation
X_3=begincases
X_2 & forqquad X_2geq X_1\
-X_2 & forqquad X_2<X_1
endcases
endequation
Joint distribution of $X_3$ and $X_1$, $P(X_3,X_1)$: joint Normal and independent. Because the realization of $X_2$ does not depend on $X_1$. Reflections at the origin do not change this result.
Joint distribution of $X_3$ and $X_2$, $P(X_3,X_2)$: joint Normal and dependent. The threshold construction does not destroy normality as we are integrating out $X_1$ and $X_1$ and $X_2$ are independent by assumption.
Joint distribution of $X_1$ and $X_2$: independent and normal by assumption
But clearly, the joint distribution $P(X_1,X_2,X_3)$ can not be expressed as a multivariate Gauss Distribution.
Of course, by assumption! You assume
Suppose inversely that for every M−variate marginal distribution is normal
Hence, the full K-variate marginal distribution must also be normal, isint it? >>>Otherwise it would conflict with your above assumption.
$endgroup$
This is an interesting question. I like it.
So let us construct a counterexample to show that this does not hold in general. Let us assume $K=3$ and let us consider two independent normal variables $X_1$ and $X_2$ satisfying the standard normal distribution $X_1,X_2propto mathcalN(0,1)$.
Let us construct the variable $X_3$ as follows
beginequation
X_3=begincases
X_2 & forqquad X_2geq X_1\
-X_2 & forqquad X_2<X_1
endcases
endequation
Joint distribution of $X_3$ and $X_1$, $P(X_3,X_1)$: joint Normal and independent. Because the realization of $X_2$ does not depend on $X_1$. Reflections at the origin do not change this result.
Joint distribution of $X_3$ and $X_2$, $P(X_3,X_2)$: joint Normal and dependent. The threshold construction does not destroy normality as we are integrating out $X_1$ and $X_1$ and $X_2$ are independent by assumption.
Joint distribution of $X_1$ and $X_2$: independent and normal by assumption
But clearly, the joint distribution $P(X_1,X_2,X_3)$ can not be expressed as a multivariate Gauss Distribution.
Of course, by assumption! You assume
Suppose inversely that for every M−variate marginal distribution is normal
Hence, the full K-variate marginal distribution must also be normal, isint it? >>>Otherwise it would conflict with your above assumption.
edited 4 mins ago
answered 3 hours ago
Gkhan CebsGkhan Cebs
912
912
$begingroup$
Please read the question carefully: it is explicit that $M$ is always strictly less than $K.$ If you think somebody has posted such a trivial question, then it's better to ask them about their intentions in a comment, because usually there is substance to the questions asked here.
$endgroup$
– whuber♦
3 hours ago
$begingroup$
It would be easier to read if you would repeat the most critical part of your assumption in the assumption itself. Thanks. Let me think about it.
$endgroup$
– Gkhan Cebs
54 mins ago
$begingroup$
Sorry about being unclear: I'm referring to the assumption "$2leq M lt K$" in the question.
$endgroup$
– whuber♦
53 mins ago
add a comment |
$begingroup$
Please read the question carefully: it is explicit that $M$ is always strictly less than $K.$ If you think somebody has posted such a trivial question, then it's better to ask them about their intentions in a comment, because usually there is substance to the questions asked here.
$endgroup$
– whuber♦
3 hours ago
$begingroup$
It would be easier to read if you would repeat the most critical part of your assumption in the assumption itself. Thanks. Let me think about it.
$endgroup$
– Gkhan Cebs
54 mins ago
$begingroup$
Sorry about being unclear: I'm referring to the assumption "$2leq M lt K$" in the question.
$endgroup$
– whuber♦
53 mins ago
$begingroup$
Please read the question carefully: it is explicit that $M$ is always strictly less than $K.$ If you think somebody has posted such a trivial question, then it's better to ask them about their intentions in a comment, because usually there is substance to the questions asked here.
$endgroup$
– whuber♦
3 hours ago
$begingroup$
Please read the question carefully: it is explicit that $M$ is always strictly less than $K.$ If you think somebody has posted such a trivial question, then it's better to ask them about their intentions in a comment, because usually there is substance to the questions asked here.
$endgroup$
– whuber♦
3 hours ago
$begingroup$
It would be easier to read if you would repeat the most critical part of your assumption in the assumption itself. Thanks. Let me think about it.
$endgroup$
– Gkhan Cebs
54 mins ago
$begingroup$
It would be easier to read if you would repeat the most critical part of your assumption in the assumption itself. Thanks. Let me think about it.
$endgroup$
– Gkhan Cebs
54 mins ago
$begingroup$
Sorry about being unclear: I'm referring to the assumption "$2leq M lt K$" in the question.
$endgroup$
– whuber♦
53 mins ago
$begingroup$
Sorry about being unclear: I'm referring to the assumption "$2leq M lt K$" in the question.
$endgroup$
– whuber♦
53 mins ago
add a comment |
TDT is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
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-distributions, multivariate-distribution, multivariate-normal, normal-distribution, probability
$begingroup$
Is this homework? You might need to add the self-study tag.
$endgroup$
– The Laconic
4 hours ago
$begingroup$
@TheLaconic: No, it is not an exercise. I am modeling a multivariate distribution by using smaller dimension, for example, bivariate. Before receiving the answer(s) below, I do hope I can approximate the multivariate by using bivariate. I have obtained simulated results, combining with the answer here, I think this is not generally true.
$endgroup$
– TDT
2 hours ago