Solution

ID: past-exam-of-the-mathematics-course-of-the-university-of-cambridge/2019/iii/paper-219/3/d/solution

Write the target posterior density as and the proposal distribution density as . The Metropolis–Hastings algorithm accepts a proposed move with
For distinct states,
which is symmetric in and . The rejection probability supplies the diagonal part, so the entire transition kernel satisfies detailed balance. Integrating the detailed-balance identity over the starting state proves . Hence the posterior is a stationary distribution; an irreducible Markov chain that is also an aperiodic Markov chain converges uniquely to it.

New to topics? Read the docs here!