bf.dist.normal: Samples from a Normal (Gaussian) distribution.

In BayesForge: Bayesian Inference using 'numpyro' and 'XLA'

Samples from a Normal (Gaussian) distribution.

Description

The Normal distribution is characterized by its mean (loc) and standard deviation (scale). It's a continuous probability distribution that arises frequently in statistics and probability theory.

f(x \mid \mu, \sigma) = \frac{1}{\sqrt{2\pi}\sigma}\exp!\left(-\frac{(x - \mu)^2}{2\sigma^2}\right)

Usage

bf.dist.normal(
  loc = 0,
  scale = 1,
  validate_args = py_none(),
  name = "x",
  obs = py_none(),
  mask = py_none(),
  sample = FALSE,
  seed = py_none(),
  shape = c(),
  event = 0,
  create_obj = FALSE,
  to_jax = TRUE
)

Arguments

loc	A numeric vector, matrix, or array representing the mean of the distribution.
scale	A numeric vector, matrix, or array representing the standard deviation of the distribution.
validate_args	Logical: Whether to validate parameter values. Defaults to 'reticulate::py_none()'.
name	A character string representing the name of the random variable within a model. This is used to uniquely identify the variable. Defaults to 'x'.
obs	A numeric vector or array of observed values. If provided, the random variable is conditioned on these values. If 'NULL', the variable is treated as a latent (unobserved) variable. Defaults to 'NULL'.
mask	A logical vector, matrix, or array. Optional boolean array to mask observations.
sample	A logical value that controls the function's behavior. If 'TRUE', the function will directly draw samples from the distribution. If 'FALSE', it will create a random variable within a model. Defaults to 'FALSE'.
seed	An integer used to set the random seed for reproducibility when 'sample = TRUE'. This argument has no effect when 'sample = FALSE', as randomness is handled by the model's inference engine. Defaults to 0.
shape	A numeric vector specifying the shape of the distribution. Use a vector (e.g., 'c(10)') to define the shape.
event	An integer representing the number of batch dimensions to reinterpret as event dimensions (used in model building).
create_obj	A logical value. If 'TRUE', returns the raw BI distribution object instead of creating a sample site.
to_jax	Boolean. Indicates whether to return a JAX array or not.

Value

- When sample=FALSE: A BI Normal distribution object (for model building).

- When sample=TRUE: A JAX array of samples drawn from the Normal distribution (for direct sampling).

- When create_obj=TRUE: The raw BI distribution object (for advanced use cases).

Examples

library(BayesForge)
m=importBF(platform='cpu')
bf.dist.normal(sample = TRUE)

BayesForge documentation built on June 9, 2026, 1:09 a.m.