On statistical independence and no-correlation for a pair of random variables taking two values: Classical and quantum
Abstract
It is well known that when a pair of random variables is statistically independent, it has no-correlation (zero covariance, E[XY] - E[X]E[Y] = 0), and that the converse is not true. However, if both of these random variables take only two values, no-correlation entails statistical independence. We provide here a general proof. We subsequently examine whether this equivalence property carries over to quantum mechanical systems. A counter-example is explicitly constructed to show that it does not. This observation provides yet another simple theorem separating classical and quantum theories.
- Publication:
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Progress of Theoretical and Experimental Physics
- Pub Date:
- August 2018
- DOI:
- arXiv:
- arXiv:1804.09248
- Bibcode:
- 2018PTEP.2018h3A02O
- Keywords:
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- Quantum Physics;
- Mathematics - Probability
- E-Print:
- 7 pages, 2 figures, minor revision, To appear in Progress of Theoretical and Experimental Physics