Expected value: Is $E|X| = |E(X)|$?












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Is the expectation of absolute value equal to the absolute value of the expectation? $E|X| = |E(X)|$ seems intuitively true to me, but I couldn't find it online. I wanted to check whether this is true.










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    1












    $begingroup$


    Is the expectation of absolute value equal to the absolute value of the expectation? $E|X| = |E(X)|$ seems intuitively true to me, but I couldn't find it online. I wanted to check whether this is true.










    share|cite|improve this question











    $endgroup$















      1












      1








      1





      $begingroup$


      Is the expectation of absolute value equal to the absolute value of the expectation? $E|X| = |E(X)|$ seems intuitively true to me, but I couldn't find it online. I wanted to check whether this is true.










      share|cite|improve this question











      $endgroup$




      Is the expectation of absolute value equal to the absolute value of the expectation? $E|X| = |E(X)|$ seems intuitively true to me, but I couldn't find it online. I wanted to check whether this is true.







      probability statistics expected-value






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      edited Dec 7 '18 at 14:47









      Especially Lime

      21.9k22858




      21.9k22858










      asked Dec 7 '18 at 14:44









      bobbob

      1089




      1089






















          3 Answers
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          6












          $begingroup$

          Not true in general.
          E.g., let $X$ be the random variable whose value is $-1$ or $+1$, both with probability $1/2$. Then $|X|$ is $+1$ with probability $1$, so $|E(X)|= |0| = 0$ and $E(|X|)=1$.



          The only thing you can claim is $|E(X)|leq E(|X|)$, and it is trivial.






          share|cite|improve this answer









          $endgroup$













          • $begingroup$
            If the reader does not find the latter it trivial, it is a result of the triangular inequality.
            $endgroup$
            – Jonas
            Dec 7 '18 at 15:04






          • 2




            $begingroup$
            @Jonas Not needed, simply use $-|X|leqslant Xleqslant|X|$.
            $endgroup$
            – Did
            Dec 7 '18 at 15:30



















          1












          $begingroup$

          Let $(Omega,mathcal F, mathbb P)$ be a probability space and let $X$ be a random variable. Then
          begin{align*}
          mathbb E[X] := int_{Omega} X, dmathbb P
          end{align*}

          This is the Lebsegue integral of $X$ over the measure space $(Omega,mathcal F, mathbb P)$. Now the answer should be obvious. In general
          begin{align*}
          int_{Omega} |X|, dmathbb P neq left|int_{Omega} X, dmathbb Pright|
          end{align*}






          share|cite|improve this answer









          $endgroup$





















            0












            $begingroup$

            It is not true in general.



            Counter example: Let $X$ take value $+1$ with probability $0.5$ and $-1$ with probability $0.5$.



            Then $|X|=1$ so that $mathbb E|X|=1$.



            But $|mathbb EX|=|0|=0$.






            share|cite|improve this answer









            $endgroup$













              Your Answer





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              3 Answers
              3






              active

              oldest

              votes








              3 Answers
              3






              active

              oldest

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              active

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              active

              oldest

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              6












              $begingroup$

              Not true in general.
              E.g., let $X$ be the random variable whose value is $-1$ or $+1$, both with probability $1/2$. Then $|X|$ is $+1$ with probability $1$, so $|E(X)|= |0| = 0$ and $E(|X|)=1$.



              The only thing you can claim is $|E(X)|leq E(|X|)$, and it is trivial.






              share|cite|improve this answer









              $endgroup$













              • $begingroup$
                If the reader does not find the latter it trivial, it is a result of the triangular inequality.
                $endgroup$
                – Jonas
                Dec 7 '18 at 15:04






              • 2




                $begingroup$
                @Jonas Not needed, simply use $-|X|leqslant Xleqslant|X|$.
                $endgroup$
                – Did
                Dec 7 '18 at 15:30
















              6












              $begingroup$

              Not true in general.
              E.g., let $X$ be the random variable whose value is $-1$ or $+1$, both with probability $1/2$. Then $|X|$ is $+1$ with probability $1$, so $|E(X)|= |0| = 0$ and $E(|X|)=1$.



              The only thing you can claim is $|E(X)|leq E(|X|)$, and it is trivial.






              share|cite|improve this answer









              $endgroup$













              • $begingroup$
                If the reader does not find the latter it trivial, it is a result of the triangular inequality.
                $endgroup$
                – Jonas
                Dec 7 '18 at 15:04






              • 2




                $begingroup$
                @Jonas Not needed, simply use $-|X|leqslant Xleqslant|X|$.
                $endgroup$
                – Did
                Dec 7 '18 at 15:30














              6












              6








              6





              $begingroup$

              Not true in general.
              E.g., let $X$ be the random variable whose value is $-1$ or $+1$, both with probability $1/2$. Then $|X|$ is $+1$ with probability $1$, so $|E(X)|= |0| = 0$ and $E(|X|)=1$.



              The only thing you can claim is $|E(X)|leq E(|X|)$, and it is trivial.






              share|cite|improve this answer









              $endgroup$



              Not true in general.
              E.g., let $X$ be the random variable whose value is $-1$ or $+1$, both with probability $1/2$. Then $|X|$ is $+1$ with probability $1$, so $|E(X)|= |0| = 0$ and $E(|X|)=1$.



              The only thing you can claim is $|E(X)|leq E(|X|)$, and it is trivial.







              share|cite|improve this answer












              share|cite|improve this answer



              share|cite|improve this answer










              answered Dec 7 '18 at 14:46









              A. PongráczA. Pongrácz

              5,9631929




              5,9631929












              • $begingroup$
                If the reader does not find the latter it trivial, it is a result of the triangular inequality.
                $endgroup$
                – Jonas
                Dec 7 '18 at 15:04






              • 2




                $begingroup$
                @Jonas Not needed, simply use $-|X|leqslant Xleqslant|X|$.
                $endgroup$
                – Did
                Dec 7 '18 at 15:30


















              • $begingroup$
                If the reader does not find the latter it trivial, it is a result of the triangular inequality.
                $endgroup$
                – Jonas
                Dec 7 '18 at 15:04






              • 2




                $begingroup$
                @Jonas Not needed, simply use $-|X|leqslant Xleqslant|X|$.
                $endgroup$
                – Did
                Dec 7 '18 at 15:30
















              $begingroup$
              If the reader does not find the latter it trivial, it is a result of the triangular inequality.
              $endgroup$
              – Jonas
              Dec 7 '18 at 15:04




              $begingroup$
              If the reader does not find the latter it trivial, it is a result of the triangular inequality.
              $endgroup$
              – Jonas
              Dec 7 '18 at 15:04




              2




              2




              $begingroup$
              @Jonas Not needed, simply use $-|X|leqslant Xleqslant|X|$.
              $endgroup$
              – Did
              Dec 7 '18 at 15:30




              $begingroup$
              @Jonas Not needed, simply use $-|X|leqslant Xleqslant|X|$.
              $endgroup$
              – Did
              Dec 7 '18 at 15:30











              1












              $begingroup$

              Let $(Omega,mathcal F, mathbb P)$ be a probability space and let $X$ be a random variable. Then
              begin{align*}
              mathbb E[X] := int_{Omega} X, dmathbb P
              end{align*}

              This is the Lebsegue integral of $X$ over the measure space $(Omega,mathcal F, mathbb P)$. Now the answer should be obvious. In general
              begin{align*}
              int_{Omega} |X|, dmathbb P neq left|int_{Omega} X, dmathbb Pright|
              end{align*}






              share|cite|improve this answer









              $endgroup$


















                1












                $begingroup$

                Let $(Omega,mathcal F, mathbb P)$ be a probability space and let $X$ be a random variable. Then
                begin{align*}
                mathbb E[X] := int_{Omega} X, dmathbb P
                end{align*}

                This is the Lebsegue integral of $X$ over the measure space $(Omega,mathcal F, mathbb P)$. Now the answer should be obvious. In general
                begin{align*}
                int_{Omega} |X|, dmathbb P neq left|int_{Omega} X, dmathbb Pright|
                end{align*}






                share|cite|improve this answer









                $endgroup$
















                  1












                  1








                  1





                  $begingroup$

                  Let $(Omega,mathcal F, mathbb P)$ be a probability space and let $X$ be a random variable. Then
                  begin{align*}
                  mathbb E[X] := int_{Omega} X, dmathbb P
                  end{align*}

                  This is the Lebsegue integral of $X$ over the measure space $(Omega,mathcal F, mathbb P)$. Now the answer should be obvious. In general
                  begin{align*}
                  int_{Omega} |X|, dmathbb P neq left|int_{Omega} X, dmathbb Pright|
                  end{align*}






                  share|cite|improve this answer









                  $endgroup$



                  Let $(Omega,mathcal F, mathbb P)$ be a probability space and let $X$ be a random variable. Then
                  begin{align*}
                  mathbb E[X] := int_{Omega} X, dmathbb P
                  end{align*}

                  This is the Lebsegue integral of $X$ over the measure space $(Omega,mathcal F, mathbb P)$. Now the answer should be obvious. In general
                  begin{align*}
                  int_{Omega} |X|, dmathbb P neq left|int_{Omega} X, dmathbb Pright|
                  end{align*}







                  share|cite|improve this answer












                  share|cite|improve this answer



                  share|cite|improve this answer










                  answered Dec 7 '18 at 14:55









                  N.BeckN.Beck

                  2987




                  2987























                      0












                      $begingroup$

                      It is not true in general.



                      Counter example: Let $X$ take value $+1$ with probability $0.5$ and $-1$ with probability $0.5$.



                      Then $|X|=1$ so that $mathbb E|X|=1$.



                      But $|mathbb EX|=|0|=0$.






                      share|cite|improve this answer









                      $endgroup$


















                        0












                        $begingroup$

                        It is not true in general.



                        Counter example: Let $X$ take value $+1$ with probability $0.5$ and $-1$ with probability $0.5$.



                        Then $|X|=1$ so that $mathbb E|X|=1$.



                        But $|mathbb EX|=|0|=0$.






                        share|cite|improve this answer









                        $endgroup$
















                          0












                          0








                          0





                          $begingroup$

                          It is not true in general.



                          Counter example: Let $X$ take value $+1$ with probability $0.5$ and $-1$ with probability $0.5$.



                          Then $|X|=1$ so that $mathbb E|X|=1$.



                          But $|mathbb EX|=|0|=0$.






                          share|cite|improve this answer









                          $endgroup$



                          It is not true in general.



                          Counter example: Let $X$ take value $+1$ with probability $0.5$ and $-1$ with probability $0.5$.



                          Then $|X|=1$ so that $mathbb E|X|=1$.



                          But $|mathbb EX|=|0|=0$.







                          share|cite|improve this answer












                          share|cite|improve this answer



                          share|cite|improve this answer










                          answered Dec 7 '18 at 14:48









                          drhabdrhab

                          101k544130




                          101k544130






























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