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Related papers: Optimal Identity Testing with High Probability

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We propose a new setting for testing properties of distributions while receiving samples from several distributions, but few samples per distribution. Given samples from $s$ distributions, $p_1, p_2, \ldots, p_s$, we design testers for the…

Data Structures and Algorithms · Computer Science 2019-11-19 Maryam Aliakbarpour , Sandeep Silwal

We study the fundamental problems of identity testing (goodness of fit), and closeness testing (two sample test) of distributions over $k$ elements, under differential privacy. While the problems have a long history in statistics, finite…

Machine Learning · Computer Science 2017-11-01 Jayadev Acharya , Ziteng Sun , Huanyu Zhang

We investigate the problem of testing whether a discrete probability distribution over an ordered domain is a histogram on a specified number of bins. One of the most common tools for the succinct approximation of data, $k$-histograms over…

Data Structures and Algorithms · Computer Science 2022-07-15 Clément L. Canonne , Ilias Diakonikolas , Daniel M. Kane , Sihan Liu

We give a general unified method that can be used for $L_1$ {\em closeness testing} of a wide range of univariate structured distribution families. More specifically, we design a sample optimal and computationally efficient algorithm for…

Data Structures and Algorithms · Computer Science 2015-08-25 Ilias Diakonikolas , Daniel M. Kane , Vladimir Nikishkin

Independence testing is a fundamental problem in statistical inference: given samples from a joint distribution $p$ over multiple random variables, the goal is to determine whether $p$ is a product distribution or is $\epsilon$-far from all…

Machine Learning · Statistics 2026-03-06 Maryam Aliakbarpour , Alireza Azizi , Ria Stevens

We investigate the problem of testing the equivalence between two discrete histograms. A {\em $k$-histogram} over $[n]$ is a probability distribution that is piecewise constant over some set of $k$ intervals over $[n]$. Histograms have been…

Data Structures and Algorithms · Computer Science 2017-03-07 Ilias Diakonikolas , Daniel M. Kane , Vladimir Nikishkin

In this work, we revisit the problem of uniformity testing of discrete probability distributions. A fundamental problem in distribution testing, testing uniformity over a known domain has been addressed over a significant line of works, and…

Data Structures and Algorithms · Computer Science 2017-08-17 Tuğkan Batu , Clément L. Canonne

We provide improved differentially private algorithms for identity testing of high-dimensional distributions. Specifically, for $d$-dimensional Gaussian distributions with known covariance $\Sigma$, we can test whether the distribution…

Data Structures and Algorithms · Computer Science 2022-07-26 Shyam Narayanan

We study distribution testing without direct access to a source of relevant data, but rather to one where only a tiny fraction is relevant. To enable this, we introduce the following verification query model. The goal is to perform a…

Data Structures and Algorithms · Computer Science 2025-09-23 Hadley Black , Christopher Ye

Identifying symmetries in quantum dynamics, such as identity or time-reversal invariance, is a crucial challenge with profound implications for quantum technologies. We introduce a unified framework combining group representation theory and…

Quantum Physics · Physics 2025-02-04 Masahito Hayashi , Yu-Ao Chen , Chenghong Zhu , Xin Wang

What advantage do \emph{sequential} procedures provide over batch algorithms for testing properties of unknown distributions? Focusing on the problem of testing whether two distributions $\mathcal{D}_1$ and $\mathcal{D}_2$ on $\{1,\dots,…

Data Structures and Algorithms · Computer Science 2022-05-13 Omar Fawzi , Nicolas Flammarion , Aurélien Garivier , Aadil Oufkir

We revisit the problem of tolerant distribution testing. That is, given samples from an unknown distribution $p$ over $\{1, \dots, n\}$, is it $\varepsilon_1$-close to or $\varepsilon_2$-far from a reference distribution $q$ (in total…

Data Structures and Algorithms · Computer Science 2021-11-10 Clément L. Canonne , Ayush Jain , Gautam Kamath , Jerry Li

We study the question of closeness testing for two discrete distributions. More precisely, given samples from two distributions $p$ and $q$ over an $n$-element set, we wish to distinguish whether $p=q$ versus $p$ is at least $\eps$-far from…

Data Structures and Algorithms · Computer Science 2013-08-20 Siu-On Chan , Ilias Diakonikolas , Gregory Valiant , Paul Valiant

Testing whether the observed data conforms to a purported model (probability distribution) is a basic and fundamental statistical task, and one that is by now well understood. However, the standard formulation, identity testing, fails to…

Statistics Theory · Mathematics 2021-05-06 Clément L. Canonne , Karl Wimmer

We initiate a systematic investigation of distribution testing in the framework of algorithmic replicability. Specifically, given independent samples from a collection of probability distributions, the goal is to characterize the sample…

Machine Learning · Computer Science 2025-07-04 Ilias Diakonikolas , Jingyi Gao , Daniel Kane , Sihan Liu , Christopher Ye

Uniformity testing is arguably one of the most fundamental distribution testing problems. Given sample access to an unknown distribution $\mathbf{p}$ on $[n]$, one must decide if $\mathbf{p}$ is uniform or $\varepsilon$-far from uniform (in…

Machine Learning · Statistics 2024-10-16 Sihan Liu , Christopher Ye

We give highly efficient algorithms, and almost matching lower bounds, for a range of basic statistical problems that involve testing and estimating the L_1 distance between two k-modal distributions $p$ and $q$ over the discrete domain…

Data Structures and Algorithms · Computer Science 2011-12-26 Constantinos Daskalakis , Ilias Diakonikolas , Rocco A. Servedio , Gregory Valiant , Paul Valiant

Estimating the density of a distribution from its samples is a fundamental problem in statistics. Hypothesis selection addresses the setting where, in addition to a sample set, we are given $n$ candidate distributions -- referred to as…

Data Structures and Algorithms · Computer Science 2025-10-23 Maryam Aliakbarpour , Zhan Shi , Ria Stevens , Vincent X. Wang

We study the problems of identity and closeness testing of $n$-dimensional product distributions. Prior works by Canonne, Diakonikolas, Kane and Stewart (COLT 2017) and Daskalakis and Pan (COLT 2017) have established tight sample complexity…

Data Structures and Algorithms · Computer Science 2021-05-27 Arnab Bhattacharyya , Sutanu Gayen , Saravanan Kandasamy , N. V. Vinodchandran

We introduce the problem of \emph{entropy equivalence testing} for probability distributions, a relaxation of the well-studied closeness testing problem, where the distribution testing algorithm is now only required to distinguish, given…

Data Structures and Algorithms · Computer Science 2026-05-25 Clément L. Canonne , Yash Pote , Jonathan Scarlett , Joy Qiping Yang