Gettin’ jiggy wit’ the stat homework
Who would have guessed that between the MacOS 10.2 calculator, my TI-83, some Web-based Java calculators, and Windows XP calculator, the WinXP would be best at handling large numbers? Not me. I thought the Web-based Java apps would win (since I imagine they’re created on the whim of some computer prodigy).
I know a bit about calculating big number accurately on computers since I once had to implement a large integers class for C++.
So, in lieu of some awesome math program like MatLab or Mathmatica, I’ll stick with the WinXP calculator. It’s the only one that can compute 1 – [ (365!/344!)(34429) / 36550 ] without flipping out.
In case you’re wondering, that equals about .9002254, and represents that chances that in a room of 50 people, one of the first 21 people you poll will have the same birthday as someone else in the room.
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April 27th, 2003 at 8:58 pm
if you read these, holla back with the stat class you’re taking. can non-majors take it as an elective? this sounds like so much fun, i want to take it when i come home.
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pjwoods {at} uchicago {dot} edu