For estimating the expected value over all continuous probability density functions on , compare and . Their means differ by , and . The chi-squared divergence of product measures bounds joint total variation distance by . The metric squared-loss two-point bound then gives the displayed uniform minimax risk lower bound.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2012 iii Paper 36 3 c Solution Created 2026-10-03 Updated 2026-10-07
For each , choose the continuous probability density functionsThe second is at least and integrates to one. Their expected values differ byWriting givesThe supplied product bound, also obtained from the chi-squared divergence of product measures, impliesFor the final elementary estimate, compare the exponential series with the geometric series: for . Thus the overlap of the product laws is at least . Part (b) now gives the explicit mean-estimation minimax lower bound for continuous densitiesSo one may take , uniformly for all . The alternatives are allowed to depend on , because the minimax risk takes a supremum over all continuous probability density functions separately at each sample size.