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Q Function and Error Functions

Q functions and error functions are often used to calculate bit error rates in AWGN channels. Q functions evaluate the tail probability of a normal distribution by calculating the area under the Gaussian probability density function from a point x0 to infinity. This area is known as the Q-function. The error function and complementary error function give the probability that a parameter lies within or outside a certain range, respectively. The Q-function and complementary error function are directly related, with the Q-function being equal to the complementary error function.

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348 views3 pages

Q Function and Error Functions

Q functions and error functions are often used to calculate bit error rates in AWGN channels. Q functions evaluate the tail probability of a normal distribution by calculating the area under the Gaussian probability density function from a point x0 to infinity. This area is known as the Q-function. The error function and complementary error function give the probability that a parameter lies within or outside a certain range, respectively. The Q-function and complementary error function are directly related, with the Q-function being equal to the complementary error function.

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Q function and Error functions

Mathuranathan July 16, 2012 Q function and Error functions2014-07-25T14:12:36+00:00 Latest Articles, Probability, Random Process 1
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Q functions are often encountered in the theoretical equations for Bit Error Rate (BER) involving AWGN channel. A
brief discussion on Q function and its relation to erfc function is given here.
Gaussian process is the underlying model for an AWGN channel.The probability density function of a Gaussian
Distribution is given by

Generally, in BER derivations, the probability that a Gaussian Random Variable exceeds x
0
is
evaluated as the area of the shaded region as shown in Figure 1.

Gaussian PDF and illustration of Q function
Mathematically, the area of the shaded region is evaluated as,

The above probability density function given inside the above integral cannot be integrated in closed form. So by
change of variables method, we substitute

Then equation (3) can be re-written as,

Here the function inside the integral is a normalized gaussian probability density function , normalized
to mean=0 and standard deviation=1.
The integral on the right side can be termed as Q-function, which is given by,

Here the Q function is related as,

Thus Q function gives the area of the shaded curve with the transformation applied to the Gaussian
probability density function. Essentially, Q function evaluates the tail probability of normal distribution (area of
shaded area in the above figure).
Error functions:
The error function represents the probability that the parameter of interest is within a range
between and and the complementary error function gives the probability that the parameter lies
outside that range.
The error function is given by

and the complementary error function is given by

or equivalently,

Q function and Complementary Error Function (erfc) :
From the limits of the integrals in equation (4) and (8) one can conclude that Q function is directly related to
complementary error function (erfc).
It follows from equation (4) and (8), Q function is related to complementary error function by the following relation.

Some important results:
Keep a note of the following equations that can come handy when deriving probability of bit errors for various
scenarios. These equations are compiled here for easy reference.
If we have a normal variable ,the probability that is

If we want to know the probaility that X is away from the mean by an amount a (on the left or right side of the
mean), then

If we want to know the probability that X is away from the mean by an amount a (on both sides of the mean), then

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