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Normal Product Distribution


GaussianProductDistribution

The distribution of a product of two normally distributed variates X and Y with zero means and variances sigma_x^2 and sigma_y^2 is given by

P_(XY)(u)=int_(-infty)^inftyint_(-infty)^infty(e^(-x^2/(2sigma_x^2)))/(sigma_xsqrt(2pi))(e^(-y^2/(2sigma_y^2)))/(sigma_ysqrt(2pi))delta(xy-u)dxdy
(1)
=(K_0((|u|)/(sigma_xsigma_y)))/(pisigma_xsigma_y),
(2)

where delta(x) is a delta function and K_n(z) is a modified Bessel function of the second kind. This distribution is plotted above in red.

The analogous expression for a product of three normal variates can be given in terms of Meijer G-functions as

 P_(XYZ)(u)=1/(2sqrt(2)pi^(3/2)sigma_xsigma_ysigma_z)G_(0,3)^(3,0)((u^2)/(8sigma_x^2sigma_y^2sigma_z^2)|0,0,0),
(3)

plotted above in blue.


See also

Normal Difference Distribution, Normal Distribution, Normal Ratio Distribution, Normal Sum Distribution

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Cite this as:

Weisstein, Eric W. "Normal Product Distribution." From MathWorld--A Wolfram Web Resource. https://mathworld.wolfram.com/NormalProductDistribution.html

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