The standard normal density isIt is nonnegative, and the Gaussian integral gives , so it is a probability density function. Completing the square gives the moment-generating function of a standard normal variableThus and
The linear combination of independent normal random variables is normal. HenceThis also follows by multiplying the moment-generating functions of the independent and identically distributed random variables.
Since and a standard normal variable has second and fourth moments and ,Thus has the chi-squared distribution with degrees of freedom and
Convergence in distribution means that the cumulative distribution functions satisfy at every continuity point of . The Lévy continuity theorem states that this is equivalent to pointwise convergence of characteristic functions to the characteristic function of , provided the limiting function is continuous at zero.
For fixed , independence and a Gaussian integral giveUsing ,Therefore , the characteristic function of the standard normal distribution. Lévy's theorem now givesThis derives the limit directly, without assuming the central limit theorem.
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