OK, here's one: Isn't this an incorrect use of the term 'random process'? As I understand this thread, what is being doubted is not whether tossing a coin is random, but whether the probability of heads is exactly 0.5. From what I understand of the term (and others here understand these things much better than I; I am a humble data analyst with a PhD in psychometrics, and my math stats is not all that extensive....), saying that it is not a random process would mean that it was under someone's control. Even if some coin came up heads only 40% of the time, it still might be random.
Or am I all wrong? Peter Peter L. Flom, PhD Assistant Director, Statistics and Data Analysis Core Center for Drug Use and HIV Research National Development and Research Institutes 71 W. 23rd St www.peterflom.com New York, NY 10010 (212) 845-4485 (voice) (917) 438-0894 (fax) >>> [EMAIL PROTECTED] 2/27/2004 8:12:37 AM >>> Shareef Siddeek wrote: > In a local radio presentation, one mathematician has shown that tossing > a coin is not always random. If one positions the head up when tossing, > he/she will more likely end up with the head more than 50% (to be exact > 51%) of the time. What do the stat gurus say about this? Cheers. Siddeek I think that if the mathematician can do this repeatably with this coin, then I will be happy to believe it. I guess I don't see any "statistical" issues here that "stat gurus" need to expound upon. -- Paige Miller Eastman Kodak Company paige dot miller at kodak dot com http://www.kodak.com "It's nothing until I call it!" -- Bill Klem, NL Umpire "When you get the choice to sit it out or dance, I hope you dance" -- Lee Ann Womack . . ================================================================= Instructions for joining and leaving this list, remarks about the problem of INAPPROPRIATE MESSAGES, and archives are available at: . http://jse.stat.ncsu.edu/ . ================================================================= . . ================================================================= Instructions for joining and leaving this list, remarks about the problem of INAPPROPRIATE MESSAGES, and archives are available at: . http://jse.stat.ncsu.edu/ . =================================================================
