Set . On a finite measurable space, points in the same atom of a sigma-algebra give the same Dirac measure, so is a measurable function and constant on atoms. Every probability measure is a finite mixture of representative Dirac measures with its atom masses as weights. Affineness then proves the expected-utility representation, even when the sigma-algebra is smaller than the power set.
Partition atom 2026-10-05
A partition atom is a member of a measurable partition. For a finite or countable partition, each cell is an atom of a sigma-algebra generated by that partition, whose measurable sets are unions of cells. A partition atom need not be an atom of a measure: an interval cell with positive Lebesgue measure can be split into smaller positive-measure sets that lie outside the generated partition sigma-algebra.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2008 iii Paper 34 5 b Solution Created 2026-10-03 Updated 2026-10-14
Values at the endpoint one do not affect any of the conclusions, since . Set to define each random variable everywhere, and choose a Borel measurable function agreeing with almost everywhere if necessary. These choices leave all integrals and almost-sure assertions unchanged.
Every dyadic interval at level lies in a dyadic interval at level . Equivalently, is a measurable function of , so : these sigma-algebras form a filtration. Since the uniform distribution of gives , the conditional expectations are integrable and adapted. The tower property of conditional expectation givesThus is a martingale, and part (a) proves that it is uniformly integrable.
For , the event is an atom of a sigma-algebra , with probability . The value of the conditional expectation there is thereforeConsequently This also shows directly that .
By the uniformly integrable martingale convergence theorem, there is an integrable such that almost surely and in the L1 norm. To identify this limit, put . Since away from the harmless endpoint, , and is -measurable. Conversely every is a measurable function of . Thus , and both and have -measurable versions.
For , the defining property of conditional expectation gives whenever . Passing to the limit in the L1 norm yieldsThe increasing union is an algebra of sets generating . The class of events for which this integral identity holds is a Dynkin system, so the pi-lambda theorem extends the identity to every . Since both random variables are measurable there, uniqueness of conditional expectation gives almost surely. We have proved that the dyadic conditional averages recover integrable functions:because a probability-one assertion for is a full-Lebesgue measure assertion for . Likewise, the uniform distribution of turns convergence in L1 intoNo pointwise continuity of is required.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2012 iii Paper 44 1 d Solution Created 2026-10-03 Updated 2026-10-07
Define , where is the Dirac measure at . For the full sigma-algebra of subsets of a finite , affineness directly gives .
The statement also holds for an arbitrary sigma-algebra on a finite set. List each atom of a sigma-algebra as and choose . Points in one atom have identical Dirac measures on this sigma-algebra, so is constant on each atom and is measurable. Every probability measure decomposes as , whenceThis is the expected utility representation on a finite measurable space. It does not silently assume that each singleton is measurable.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2026 iii Paper 201 1 a Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-09-25
The finite sigma-algebra is partitioned by the nonempty eventsThese are its atoms. Define the random variableand give it any finite value on the union of the null atoms. It is -measurable and integrable. Every is a union of atoms, soThis constructs the requested variable directly, without invoking the general existence theorem for conditional expectation.
Retain the binary random variables . Iterating the recursion givesEach binary history determines the full vector , so its sigma-algebra is finite by the sigma-algebra of a finite-valued random vector. Conversely, because , the integer uniquely determines the digits ; also . ThusAll binary histories have positive probability. By independence of the driving uniform random variables, along a fixed finite history every intermediate state is in , so each subsequent conditional branch probability, either or , is strictly positive. It follows that has nonempty fibres, each an atom of a sigma-algebra, and exactly elements.
Adaptedness from the preceding part gives . For , however, contains the events for every . They have distinct probabilities , so there are infinitely many distinct such events. Consequently the finite sigma-algebra cannot equal . The inclusion is strict for every .
For , repeated use of the floor function identity givesThus the filtration satisfies . Each positive-probability atom of a sigma-algebra here has the formwith probability ; is a possible additional null set atom. Averaging over each dyadic interval gives a versionFor a globally defined version of the right side, assign any value, for example zero, on .
Indeed, the displayed random variable is -measurable and bounded by . On each its integral isby the uniform distribution. Every member of is a union of the displayed sets and the possible zero-probability atom. Summing these identities therefore verifies the defining conditional expectation property on all of .
Each is a bounded Borel measurable function of , including the specified value at . Therefore is an adapted process for and consists of integrable random variables.
Fix an atom of a sigma-algebra in with positive probability, corresponding to the dyadic interval , with . By the uniform distribution, each half has conditional probability . The conditional expectation of on that atom is thereforeThe middle values cancel. On the zero-probability atom the conditional expectation can be chosen as zero, agreeing with our version of . Henceso is a martingale. This is the dyadic slope martingale associated with the Lipschitz function .
Let a random vector have a finite actual range of values. Its nonempty fibres partition the sample space, and every event in is a union of those fibres. Thus each fibre is an atom of a sigma-algebra and has exactly elements. This assertion concerns the actual range; additional values attained only on null sets must still be counted when working with an uncompleted sigma-algebra literally.
To verify the claim, the fibres belong to as preimages of singleton Borel sets. Their unions form a finite sigma-algebra making measurable, so minimality of the generated sigma-algebra gives the reverse inclusion. Distinct subcollections have distinct unions because the fibres are nonempty and disjoint.
Consequently a finite history of finite-valued observations generates a finite natural filtration at each fixed time. It may be strictly smaller than the filtration of its driving continuous observations: a single uniform random variable already generates infinitely many distinct events with different probabilities.