Explicit Bounds for the Approximation Error in Benford's Law
@article{Duembgen2007ExplicitBF, title={Explicit Bounds for the Approximation Error in Benford's Law}, author={Lutz Duembgen and Christoph Leuenberger}, journal={Electronic Communications in Probability}, year={2007}, volume={13}, pages={99-112} }
Benford's law states that for many random variables $X > 0$ its leading digit $D = D(X)$ satisfies approximately the equation $\mathbb{P}(D = d) = \log_{10}(1 + 1/d)$ for $d = 1,2,\ldots,9$. This phenomenon follows from another, maybe more intuitive fact, applied to $Y := \log_{10}X$: For many real random variables $Y$, the remainder $U := Y - \lfloor Y\rfloor$ is approximately uniformly distributed on $[0,1)$. The present paper provides new explicit bounds for the latter approximation in terms…
10 Citations
The Newcomb-Benford Law in Its Relation to Some Common Distributions
- MathematicsPloS one
- 2010
It is shown here by simulation that long right-tailed distributions of a random variable are compatible with the NBL, and that for distributions of the ratio of two random variables the fit generally improves and distributions not putting most mass on small values of the random variable fail to fit.
Best Finite Approximations of Benford’s Law
- Mathematics
- 2018
For arbitrary Borel probability measures with compact support on the real line, characterizations are established of the best finitely supported approximations, relative to three familiar probability…
The Benford phenomenon for random variables. Discussion of Feller's way
- Mathematics
- 2012
This is a detailed survey which mainly presents the Pinkham-Feller way. I added some new points to the first version [V2] and I suppressed "Examples" devoted to Gamma, Fr\'echet and Weibull laws.…
The Weibull distribution and Benford's law
- Mathematics
- 2015
Benford’s law states that many data sets have a bias towards lower leading digits, with a first digit of 1 about 30.1% of the time and a 9 only 4.6%. There are numerous applications, ranging from…
Goodness-of-Fit Testing for the Newcomb-Benford Law With Application to the Detection of Customs Fraud
- Computer Science
- 2018
A new way of testing the Newcomb-Benford law for digit sequences is suggested that turns out to be particularly attractive for the detection of frauds in customs data collected from international trade.
Model-Based Digit Analysis for Fraud Detection Overcomes Limitations of Benford Analysis
- Computer Science2012 Seventh International Conference on Availability, Reliability and Security
- 2012
It is shown that model-based Digit Analysis provides a more reliable and more generally applicable tool for fraud detection to auditors.
On Characterizations and Tests of Benford’s Law
- Mathematics
- 2021
Benford’s law defines a probability distribution for patterns of significant digits in real numbers. When the law is expected to hold for genuine observations, deviation from it can be taken as evi...
Chapter 10 DETECTING FRAUD USING MODIFIED BENFORD ANALYSIS
- Economics
- 2011
Large enterprises frequently enforce accounting limits to reduce the impact of fraud. As a complement to accounting limits, auditors use Benford analysis to detect traces of undesirable or illegal…
Detecting Fraud Using Modified Benford Analysis
- BusinessIFIP Int. Conf. Digital Forensics
- 2011
A modified Benford analysis technique where a cut-off log-normal distribution derived from the accounting limits and other properties of the data replaces the distribution used inBenford analysis is described.
References
SHOWING 1-10 OF 36 REFERENCES
Order Statistics and Benford's Law
- MathematicsInt. J. Math. Math. Sci.
- 2008
Conditions on the probability density are derived which determine whether or not the distribution of the digits of all the unnormalized differences converges to Benford's law, shifted exponential behavior, or oscillates between the two, and it is shown that the Pareto distribution leads to oscillating behavior.
Real Analysis
- Mathematics
- 2009
– Weierstrass Theorem Theorem If f is a continuous real-valued function on [a, b] and if any is given, then there exists a polynomial p on [a, b] s.t. |f(x)− p(x)| < for all x ∈ [a, b]. In other…
Regularity of Digits and Significant Digits of Random Variables
- Mathematics, Computer Science
- 2005
Concrete mathematics - a foundation for computer science
- Education
- 1989
From the Publisher:
This book introduces the mathematics that supports advanced computer programming and the analysis of algorithms. The primary aim of its well-known authors is to provide a solid…
Benford's law, values of L-functions and the 3x+1 problem
- Mathematics
- 2004
We show the leading digits of a variety of systems satisfying certain conditions follow Benford's Law. For each system proving this involves two main ingredients. One is a structure theorem of the…
Benford’s Law Applied to Hydrology Data—Results and Relevance to Other Geophysical Data
- Environmental Science
- 2007
Abstract
Benford’s Law gives the expected frequencies of the digits in tabulated data and asserts that the lower digits (1, 2, and 3) are expected to occur more frequently than the higher digits.…
Loi de Benford, relations de récurrence et suites équidistribuées II
- Mathematics
- 2005
Lorsque l’on considere un ensemble de valeurs numeriques relevees au hasard (cours de la Bourse, nombres extraits de journaux,...), on constate que les chiffres de 1 a 9 n’apparaissent pas avec la…
Handbook of Mathematical Functions With Formulas, Graphs and Mathematical Tables (National Bureau of Standards Applied Mathematics Series No. 55)
- Mathematics
- 1964
A handbook of mathematical functions that is designed to provide scientific investigations with a comprehensive and self-contained summary of the mathematical functions that arise in physical and…