On the product of symmetric random variables (Q5902785)

\textit{J. B. Kadane} and \textit{G. Duncan} [Advanced problem No.6314, Am. Math. Month. 87, 676 (1980)] observed that if (i) X and Y are independent and nondegenerate random variables, (ii) X is symmetric about a and Y is symmetric about b, (iii) \(E(| X|^ 3)<\infty\) and \(E(| Y|^ 3)<\infty\), then XY is symmetric if and only if \(ab=0\). They conjectured that the conclusion is still true without the moment condition (iii). In the present work a proof of the following conjecture is given. Kadane-Duncan conjecture: Under (i) and (ii), the random variable XY is symmetric about ab if and only if \(ab=0\).