Why does the average of independent random variables converge to Normal distribution not other distribution?

86 Views Asked by At

Why does the average of independent random variables converge to Normal distribution not other distribution? Or in other words, I am looking for an intuitive explanation of the central limit theorem. Why can't the average convert to some other distribution?

1

There are 1 best solutions below

2
On

Given that the proof of CLT is not so hard and you can find it anyway... I can give you a very intuitive explanation...

Suppose you have to measure the lenght of a table, and you can choose the instrument you prefer...you can use you hands for a very basic estimation of the lenght, you can use a ruler for a more precise measurement or you can use a 10 tons instrument taken from a Physic Research Lab. In any case, the true value of the lenght of your table in unknown, and it can change according to several factors: external temperature, error in the instrument, errors in the man who takes the measure and so on....

But some fact are surely true:

  • The probability to do the same error underestimating or overestimating the actual measure is the same

  • The probabilty do to a big error is lower w.r.t do a little error. (if a table has an actual lenght of 1 meter, the probability do get a measure of 2 meter is very close to zero, as it is zero the probability to get a measure of 1 cm)

  • The probability to estimate a lenght in the interval of [1;1.01] m is the same as the one to estimate it as [0.99;1] m

Doing a lot of measurement and plotting them on a chart, you will realize that the resulting drawing is a bell function, symmetric around the actual value...it's a Gaussian density....