Dealing with Uncertainties : A Guide to Error Analysis

Dealing with Uncertainties proposes and explains a new approach for the analysis of uncertainties. Firstly, it is shown that uncertainties are the consequence of modern science rather than of measurements. Secondly, it stresses the importance of the deductive approach to uncertainties. This perspective has the potential of dealing with the uncertainty of a single data point and of data of a set having differing weights. Both cases cannot be dealt with the inductive approach, which is usually taken. This innovative monograph also fully covers both uncorrelated and correlated uncertainties. The weakness of using statistical weights in regression analysis is discussed. Abundant examples are given for correlation in and between data sets and for the feedback of uncertainties on experiment design.

Dealing with Uncertainties is an innovative monograph that lays special emphasis on the deductive approach to uncertainties and on the shape of uncertainty distributions. This perspective has the potential for dealing with the uncertainty of a single data point and with sets of data that have different weights. It is shown that the inductive approach that is commonly used to estimate uncertainties is in fact not suitable for these two cases. The approach that is used to understand the nature of uncertainties is novel in that it is completely decoupled from measurements. Uncertainties which are the consequence of modern science provide a measure of confidence both in scientific data and in information in everyday life. Uncorrelated uncertainties and correlated uncertainties are fully covered and the weakness of using statistical weights in regression analysis is discussed. The text is abundantly illustrated with examples and includes more than 150 problems to help the reader master the subject.