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Iosif Pinelis
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$\newcommand\ep\epsilon$Getting rid of the instances of $\approx$, one can state the question as follows:

Let $f(X):=E(Y|X)$, where $X$ and $Y$ are random variables (r.v.'s) ($X$ possibly a multivariate one) such that $EY^2<\infty$. Note that $E\ep=0$ and $Cov(f(X),\ep)=0$, where $\ep:=Y-f(X)$.

Suppose that for a sequence $(g_n)$ of Borel-measurable functions one has $g_n(X)\to f(X)$ in probability (as $n\to\infty$). Does it then follow that \begin{equation*} Cov(g_n(X),\ep_n)\to0, \tag{1}\label{1} \end{equation*} where $\ep_n:=Y-g_n(X)$?

The answer to this question is: Of course, not.

Indeed, let e.g. $X$ be a r.v. uniformly distributed on the interval $[-1,1]$, and let $Y:=X$, so that $f(X)=X$ and $\ep=0$.

Let \begin{equation*} g_n(X):=X\,1(|X|\ge1/n)+n^2 X\,1(|X|<1/n). \end{equation*} Then $g_n(X)\to X=f(X)$ in probability.

However, $Eg_n(X)=0$, $\ep_n=Y-g_n(X)=X-g_n(X)=(1-n^2)X\,1(|X|<1/n)$, and hence \begin{equation*} Cov(g_n(X),\ep_n)=Eg_n(X)\ep_n=n^2(1-n^2)\,EX^2\,1(|X|<1/n) \\ =(1-n^2)/(3n)\to-\infty\ne0. \end{equation*} So, \eqref{1} fails to hold. $\quad\Box$


On the other hand, if $g_n(X)\to f(X)$ in $L^2$, then it is easy to see that \eqref{1} will hold.

Iosif Pinelis
  • 127.7k
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  • 107
  • 229