In: Statistics and Probability
3. (Not Bayesian) Let Y have pdf fY (y, θ) =
2(θ − y)/θ2
if 0 < y < θ
0 otherwise . You are
going to construct a confidence interval for θ based on a single
observation Y .
(a) Show that Y/θ is pivotal quantity.
(b) Suppose Y = 6. Find (numerically) a 10% confidence interval for
θ .
The given pdf of Y is 
Let 
. When y=0, u=0 and when 
Then 
 and 
 and
the pdf of U is given by

So the pdf of 
 does not depend on 
 and hence 
 is a pivotal quantity.
Let a be the point such that 
Then
implies

Therefore 
 will be a 10% confidence interval for 
.
Now we will find the value of a.
We know P(a<U<1)=0.1
That is

or

Solving this quadratic equation we get the value of a as

So 
 and the 10% confidence interval becomes