Solution
ID: past-exam-of-the-mathematics-course-of-the-university-of-cambridge/2015/ia/paper-2/10f/solution
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2015 ia Paper 2 10F Solution by
Codex 0 Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-10-06
The proposed probability density function is nonnegative. To check its integral, put . The Gaussian integral can be evaluated by squaring and using polar coordinates:Since , and . Thus has the standard normal distribution. Completing the square in its moment-generating function gives, for every real ,Differentiation under the integral is justified near every finite by Gaussian decay. Expanding gives all moments:
To obtain the two-term bounds for Mills ratio, use . Integration by parts gives, for ,The positive remainder proves . A second integration by parts givesSubstitution and division by the strictly positive showThe last integral is strictly positive for every finite , proving . Both remainders are finite for every fixed positive ; the lower bound remains valid even when it is negative.
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