Key Definitions in Numerical Methods and Statistics
1. Significant Digits
Digits in a number that carry meaningful information about its precision. This includes all non-zero
digits, zeros between significant digits, and trailing zeros in a decimal.
2. Inherent Error
The unavoidable error in any measurement or calculation due to limitations in the method or
equipment used.
3. Truncation Error
The error made when a mathematical procedure is approximated by terminating an infinite process
after a finite number of steps (e.g., using a finite number of terms in a Taylor series).
4. Interpolation
A method of estimating unknown values within the range of known data points.
5. Extrapolation
Estimating the value of a variable outside the range of known data based on its trend.
6. Predictor-Corrector Method
A numerical technique to solve differential equations where an initial prediction is made using an
explicit method, and then corrected using an implicit method.
7. Random Variable
A variable that takes on different values based on the outcome of a random experiment.
8. Discrete Random Variable
A random variable that can take only a countable number of distinct values.
9. Probability Function
A function that gives the probability that a discrete random variable is exactly equal to some value.
10. Cumulative Distribution Function
A function that shows the probability that a random variable is less than or equal to a certain value.
11. Continuous Random Variable
A variable that can take an infinite number of values within a given range.
12. Probability Density Function
A function that describes the relative likelihood for a continuous random variable to take on a given
value.
13. Mathematical Expectation
The weighted average of all possible values a random variable can take, with weights being their
probabilities.
14. Variance
A measure of how much values of a random variable deviate from the mean.
15. Moments
Quantitative measures related to the shape of a distribution (e.g., mean, variance, skewness,
kurtosis).
16. Correlation
A statistical measure that expresses the extent to which two variables are linearly related.
17. Correlation Coefficient
A value between -1 and +1 that measures the strength and direction of a linear relationship between
two variables.
18. Rank Correlation
Measures the relationship between rankings of different variables or the same variable over time
(e.g., Spearman's rank correlation).
19. Regression Coefficients
Constants in a regression equation representing the change in the dependent variable for a unit
change in the independent variable.
20. Mean
The average of a set of values; sum of all observations divided by the number of observations.
21. Median
The middle value of a data set when arranged in ascending or descending order.
22. Mode
The value that appears most frequently in a data set.
23. Binomial Distribution
A discrete probability distribution of the number of successes in a fixed number of trials, with only
two outcomes: success or failure.
24. Poisson Distribution
A discrete distribution that expresses the probability of a given number of events occurring in a fixed
interval of time or space.
25. Normal Distribution
A continuous distribution that is symmetric and bell-shaped, defined by its mean (mu) and standard
deviation (sigma).