Parametric family

In mathematics and its applications, a parametric family or a parameterized family is a family of objects (a set of related objects) whose differences depend only on the chosen values for a set of parameters.

Common examples are parametrized (families of) functions, probability distributions, curves, shapes, etc.Template:Citation needed

In probability and its applications

A graph of the probability density functions of several normal distributions (from the same parametric family).

For example, the probability density function Template:Math of a random variable Template:Mvar may depend on a parameter Template:Mvar. In that case, the function may be denoted $f_X(\cdot ;\theta )$ to indicate the dependence on the parameter Template:Mvar. Template:Mvar is not a formal argument of the function as it is considered to be fixed. However, each different value of the parameter gives a different probability density function. Then the parametric family of densities is the set of functions $\{f_X(\cdot ;\theta )\mid \theta \in \mathrm{\Theta }\}$, where Template:Math denotes the parameter space, the set of all possible values that the parameter Template:Mvar can take. As an example, the normal distribution is a family of similarly-shaped distributions parametrized by their mean and their variance.

In decision theory, two-moment decision models can be applied when the decision-maker is faced with random variables drawn from a location-scale family of probability distributions.Template:Citation needed

In algebra and its applications

A three-dimensional graph of a Cobb–Douglas production function.

In economics, the Cobb–Douglas production function is a family of production functions parametrized by the elasticities of output with respect to the various factors of production.Template:Citation needed

Graphs of several quadratic polynomials, varying each of the three coefficients independently.

In algebra, the quadratic equation, for example, is actually a family of equations parametrized by the coefficients of the variable and of its square and by the constant term.Template:Citation needed

See also

• Indexed family