Homepage › Solution manuals › Terence Tao › Probability Theory › Exercise 3.2 (Modes of convergence on probability spaces)

Exercise 3.2 (Modes of convergence on probability spaces)

Let (Xn)n∈N be a sequence of scalar random variables, and let X be another scalar random variable.

1.
If Xn → X almost surely, show that Xn → X in probability. Give a counterexample to show that the converse does not necessarily hold.
2.
Suppose that ∑ ⁡ nP(|Xn − X| > 𝜀) < ∞ for all 𝜀 > 0. Show that Xn → X almost surely. Give a counterexample to show that the converse does not necessarily hold.
3.
If Xn → X in probability, show that there is a subsequence Xnj of the Xn such that Xnj → X almost surely.
4.
If Xn,X are absolutely integrable and E|Xn − X|→ 0 as n →∞, show that Xn → X in probability. Give a counterexample to show that the converse does not necessarily hold.
5.
(Urysohn subsequence principle) Suppose that every subsequence Xnj of Xn has a further subsequence Xnj k that converges to X in probability. Show that Xn also converges to X in probability.
6.
Does the Urysohn subsequence principle still hold if "in probability" is replaced with "almost surely" throughout?
7.
If Xn converges in probability to X, and F : R → R or F : C → C is continuous, show that F(Xn) converges in probability to F(X). More generally, if for each i = 1,…,k, Xn(i) is a sequence of scalar random variables that converge in probability to X(i), and F : Rk → R or F : Ck → C is continuous, show that F(Xn(1),…,Xn(k)) converges in probability to F(X(1),…,X(k)). (Thus, for instance, if Xn and Y n converge in probability to X and Y respectively, then Xn + Y n and XnY n converge in probability to X + Y and XY respectively.
8.
(Fatou’s lemma for convergence in probability) If Xn are non-negative and converge in probability to X, show that EX ≤ liminf ⁡ n→∞EXn.
9.
(Dominated convergence in probability) If Xn converge in probability to X, and one almost surely has |Xn|≤ Y for all n and some absolutely integrable Y , show that EXn converges to EX.