# FindDistributionParameter slow with user defined Distribution

I am trying to define my own probability distributions in order to fit data using Maximum Likelyhood. To test my distributions, I have produce a set of data Normally distributed using

data = RandomVariate[NormalDistribution[0, 2], 10^3]


defined my own Normal Distribution and fit it to data:

testDistribution[a_, b_] := ProbabilityDistribution[E^(-((x - a)^2/(2 b^2)))/(Sqrt[2 \[Pi]] b), {x, -Infinity, Infinity},Assumptions -> a \[Element] Reals && b \[Element] Reals && b > 0]
params = FindDistributionParameters[data, testDistribution[a, b],  ParameterEstimator -> "MaximumLikelihood"]


which gave the results {a -> 0.029678, b -> 1.99852} in 10.39 seconds

However, using the following line

params = FindDistributionParameters[data, NormalDistribution[a, b], ParameterEstimator -> "MaximumLikelihood"]


gave {a -> 0.0296781, b -> 1.99852}but in only 0.03 seconds. So it looks like my user defined distribution is not properly defined. This makes a large difference when I increase the size of the data.

Does anybody knows where the difference come from?

Thank you very much!

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$Version (* "11.0.1 for Mac OS X x86 (64-bit) (September 21, 2016)" *)$HistoryLength = 0; (* to make timings fair *)

RandomSeed[1]; (* repeatable random data *)

data = RandomVariate[NormalDistribution[0, 2], 10^3];

testDistribution[a_, b_] :=
ProbabilityDistribution[
E^(-((x - a)^2/(2 b^2)))/(Sqrt[2 π] b),
{x, -Infinity, Infinity},
Assumptions -> a ∈ Reals && b > 0]


"MaximumLikelihood" is the default setting for the option ParameterEstimator

Options[FindDistributionParameters, ParameterEstimator]

(*  {ParameterEstimator -> "MaximumLikelihood"}  *)

params = FindDistributionParameters[
data, testDistribution[a, b]] //
AbsoluteTiming

(*  {0.530307, {a -> -0.00916218, b -> 2.01538}}  *)


If this took 10 seconds there is something else going on. Perhaps you should try restarting Mathematica or restarting your operating system.

params2 = FindDistributionParameters[
data, NormalDistribution[a, b]] //
AbsoluteTiming

(*  {0.000771, {a -> -0.00916218, b -> 2.01538}}  *)


The built-in distributions are much faster, presumably their code is highly optimized

It is even faster to not specify a distribution than define your own.

Thread[{a, b} -> List @@ FindDistribution[data]] //
AbsoluteTiming

(*  {0.344109, {a -> -0.00916218, b -> 2.01538}}  *)