< Does anyone know why they're called random deviates, as opposed to random numbers?> Others will probably give you some technical reason about random numbers can be considered as random deviates from a mean (I think at least the 1875 Galton paper at http://www.mugu.com/galton/ uses similar terminology (I'm not claiming this is the earliest use - just the easiest to access at the moment)).
But everyone knows the real reason for the term is to create the oxymoron 'normal deviates' - it's a great name for a softball team of statisticians :) Bob -----Original Message----- From: Andrew Robinson [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Tuesday, April 06, 2004 12:13 AM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: [R] Curious about nomenclature: random deviates Hi all, a student of mine recently stumbled whilst reading the R help files for the statistical distributions. She was confused by their assertion that, for example, 'rnorm' generates random deviates. I have seen this label used elsewhere, although it does not seem universal - for example, Ripley (1987) doesn't have it in the index. Does anyone know why they're called random deviates, as opposed to random numbers? Andrew -- Andrew Robinson Ph: 208 885 7115 Department of Forest Resources Fa: 208 885 6226 University of Idaho E : [EMAIL PROTECTED] PO Box 441133 W : http://www.uidaho.edu/~andrewr Moscow ID 83843 Or: http://www.biometrics.uidaho.edu No statement above necessarily represents my employer's opinion. Cited: Ripley, B.D. 1987. Stochastic Simulation. Wiley-Interscience; ______________________________________________ [EMAIL PROTECTED] mailing list https://www.stat.math.ethz.ch/mailman/listinfo/r-help PLEASE do read the posting guide! http://www.R-project.org/posting-guide.html ______________________________________________ [EMAIL PROTECTED] mailing list https://www.stat.math.ethz.ch/mailman/listinfo/r-help PLEASE do read the posting guide! http://www.R-project.org/posting-guide.html