Skip to main content
Log in

Tests of Parameters of Several Gamma Distributions with Inequality Restrictions

  • Published:
Annals of the Institute of Statistical Mathematics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Gamma distribution is one of the most used methods of modeling lifetime data. However, testing homogeneity of parameters of m ≥ 3 gamma distributions against order restrictions is almost non-existent in the current literature. We propose two methods to this end: one uses quadratic forms involving ratios of cumulants as test statistic and the other is a stepwise procedure which uses Fisher's method of combining p-values when shape parameters are equal but unknown. Both procedures allow use of arbitrary sample sizes of m populations. Test of the inequality restrictions as a null hypothesis against unrestricted alternatives is also considered. A Monte Carlo study of power at various alternatives shows that both methods are competitive when they are applicable.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Bain, L. J. and Engelhardt, M. (1975). A two moment chi-square approximation for the statistic log(x/x), J. Amer. Statist. Assoc., 70, 948–950.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bhattacharya, B. (2001). Testing equality of scale parameters against restricted alternatives for m ≥ 3 gamma distributions with unknown common shape parameter, J. Statist. Comput. Simulation, 69, 353–368.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bohrer, R. and Chow, W. (1978). Weights for one-sided multivariate inference, Appl. Statist., 27, 100–104.

    Google Scholar 

  • Engelhardt, M. and Bain, L. J. (1977). Uniformly most powerful unbiased tests on the scale parameter of a gamma distribution with a nuisance shape parameter, Technometrics, 19, 77–81.

    Google Scholar 

  • Greenwood, J. A. and Durand, D. (1960). Aids for fitting the gamma distribution by maximum likelihood, Technometrics, 2, 55–65.

    Google Scholar 

  • Grice, J. V. and Bain, L. J. (1980). Inferences concerning the mean of the gamma distribution, J. Amer. Statist. Assoc., 75, 929–933.

    Google Scholar 

  • Johnson, N. L. and Kotz, S. (1970). Continuous Univariate Distributions-I, Houghton-Mifflin, Boston, distributed by John Wiley.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kudô, A. (1963). A multivariate analogue of the one-sided test, Biometrika, 50, 403–418.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mudholkar, G. S., McDermott, M. P. and Aumont, J. (1993). Testing homogeneity of ordered variances, Metrika, 40, 271–281.

    Google Scholar 

  • Robertson, T., Wright, F. T. and Dykstra, R. L. (1988). Order Restricted Statistical Inference, Wiley, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shapiro, A. (1985). Asymptotic distribution of test statistics in the analysis of moment structures under inequality constraints, Biometrika, 72, 133–140.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shapiro, A. (1988). Toward a unified theory of inequality constrained testing in multivariate analysis, International Statistical Review, 56, 49–62.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shiue, W. K. and Bain, L. J. (1983). A two-sample test of equal gamma distribution scale parameters with unknown common shape parameter, Technometrics, 25, 377–381.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shiue, W. K., Bain, L. J. and Engelhardt, M. (1988). Test of equal gamma distribution means with unknown and unequal shape parameters, Technometrics, 30, 169–174.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sun, H-J. (1988). A FORTRAN subroutine for computing normal orthant probability, Comm. Statist. Simulation Comput., 17, 1097–1111.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tripathi, R. C., Gupta, R. C. and Pair, R. K. (1993). Statistical tests involving several independent gamma distributions, Ann. Inst. Statist. Math., 45, 773–786.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

About this article

Cite this article

Bhattacharya, B. Tests of Parameters of Several Gamma Distributions with Inequality Restrictions. Annals of the Institute of Statistical Mathematics 54, 565–576 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1022411127154

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1022411127154

Navigation