Estimating the parameters of a Polya-Aeppli distribution.

Abstract

"The paper provides expressions for the 'maximum likelihood equations' and the asymptotic variances and co-variance of the maximum likelihood estimators of the parameters in a Polya-Aeppli distribution provided that we have a knowledge of the number of groups with zero objects...the number of groups with one object...and the total number of groups.... The results are illustrated using an example involving demographic data [for India]." The focus is on the number and types of households.