## The Annals of Statistics

### Nonparametric Estimation in the Presence of Length Bias

Y. Vardi

#### Abstract

We derive the nonparametric maximum likelihood estimate, $\hat{F}$ say, of a lifetime distribution $F$ on the basis of two independent samples, one a sample of size $m$ from $F$ and the other a sample of size $n$ from the length-biased distribution of $F$, i.e. from $G_F(x) = \int^x_0 u dF(u)/\mu, \mu = \int^\infty_0 x dF(x)$. We further show that $(m + n)^{1/2}(\hat{F} - F)$ converges weakly to a pinned Gaussian process with a simple covariance function, when $m + n \rightarrow \infty$ and $m/n \rightarrow$ constant. Potential applications are described.

#### Article information

Source
Ann. Statist., Volume 10, Number 2 (1982), 616-620.

Dates
First available in Project Euclid: 12 April 2007

https://projecteuclid.org/euclid.aos/1176345802

Digital Object Identifier
doi:10.1214/aos/1176345802

Mathematical Reviews number (MathSciNet)
MR653536

Zentralblatt MATH identifier
0491.62034

JSTOR