English

Gaussian Mills ratio is completely monotone

Probability 2013-05-27 v2

Abstract

Consider the Mills ratio corresponding to the standard Gaussian law, f(x)=(1Φ(x))/ϕ(x),x0f(x)=\big(1-\Phi(x)\big)/\phi(x), \, x\ge 0, where ϕ\phi is the density function of this law and Φ\Phi its cumulative distribution function. We prove that this function is completely monotone. In the proof we obtain a sequence of rational functions that are sharp bounds for ff; it turns out that these rational functions are the convergents of the continued fraction defined by ff, and provide an approximation procedure that allows to prove interesting properties where ff or its derivatives are involved. As an application we show that 1/f1/f is strictly convex.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.1305.5429,
  title  = {Gaussian Mills ratio is completely monotone},
  author = {Armengol Gasull and Frederic Utzet},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1305.5429},
  year   = {2013}
}

Comments

This paper has been withdrawn by the authors due that the results appear in Arpad Baricz. Mills'ratio: Monotonicity patterns and functional inequalities. Journal of Mathematical Analysis and Applications, 340 (2008) 1362-1370 M. R. Sampford. Inequalities on Mill's ratio and related functions, The Annals of Mathematical Statistics, Vol. 24, No. 1 (1953) 130-132

R2 v1 2026-06-22T00:21:21.303Z