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ThmDex – An index of mathematical definitions, results, and conjectures.
Expectation of conditional expectation for a random real number
Formulation 0
Let P=(Ω,F,P) be a D1159: Probability space such that
(i) GF is a D470: Subsigma-algebra of F on Ω
(ii) X:ΩR is a D3161: Random real number on P
(iii) E|X|<
Then E(E(XG))=E(X)
Also known as
Law of total expectation, Law of iterated expectation, Tower rule
Proofs
Proof 0
Let P=(Ω,F,P) be a D1159: Probability space such that
(i) GF is a D470: Subsigma-algebra of F on Ω
(ii) X:ΩR is a D3161: Random real number on P
(iii) E|X|<
Since G is a sigma-algebra on Ω, then ΩG. Since E(XG) is the conditional expectation of X given G, then E(E(XG)IG)=E(XIG) for all GG. Thus, in particular, we have E(E(XG))=E(E(XG)IΩ)=E(XIΩ)=E(X)