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Assume $X_i$ are independent Gaussian $(0,1)$ and

$$ Y:=\left( Y_1 := \frac{X_1}{\sqrt{X_1^2+...+X_n^2}}, ... , Y_n := \frac{X_n}{\sqrt{X_1^2+...+X_n^2}}\right)$$

Then Y is uniformly distributed on the unit sphere. That's what I want to show at least.

Now because $$Y_1^2+...+Y_n^2=1$$ we obviously see that Y is on the unit sphere - but how can I see that it is also uniformly distributed?

  • Hint: The PDF $f$ of the random variables $X_k$ is such that $$f(x_1)f(x_2)\cdots f(x_n)=g(x_1^2+x_2^2+\cdots+x_n^2)$$ for some measurable function $g$. – Did May 31 '17 at 22:44

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Ultimately, this boils down to the fact that $$e^{-x_1^2}\cdot e^{-x_2^2}\cdot\ldots\cdot e^{-x_n^2} =e^{-(x_1^2+x_2^2+\ldots+x_n^2)}$$ is rotational symmetric.