Normal distribution (Physics Lab)

1. Oct 22, 2008

Oerg

1. The problem statement, all variables and given/known data

I was asked to plot a distribution curve, but before that we had to deal with working means instead of a real mean. So the problem is :is it ok to plot a normal curve based on the standard deviation from the working mean? We were asked to compare our results with antoher histogram that we were reqired to do. I used the error based on the working mean for that.

I'm sorry if I sound confusing, just asking if it is ok to do a error histogram and a normal curve with working means since we were never required to find out the real mean in the first place and all my error tables prepared show errors from the working mean as required.

2. Oct 22, 2008

LowlyPion

Ex. 2 under 13. Fitting the Normal Distribution shows an example of determining a correction for the working mean to determine the estimate of the mean.

http://psychclassics.yorku.ca/Fisher/Methods/chap3.htm

Perhaps that would be useful for your purposes?