An Exploration on Z-Number and Its Properties

Abstract

The Z-number deserves further exploration in uncertain environments to effectively address fuzziness and reliability in practical issues simultaneously. Based on the credibility distribution and conversion rules, we define its expected value, variance, and semi-variance, and demonstrate the feasibility of these calculations by deriving formulas. Moreover, we explore three characteristics inherent in symmetrical Z-numbers. The link between the variance and semi-variance of Z-numbers is discovered and proved. Furthermore, we apply the formulas for expected value and variance to Z-numbers in examples, the results of which validate our proposed formulas. The findings underscore the significance of our study in applying the expected value and variance of fuzzy sets across diverse fields.