Normally distributed data errors

[James.L]

Homework Statement

Hello

If my data errors are normally distributed, is this the same as the data being normally distributed? I mean, by "normally distributed data errors" is meant that with 68% confidence the data lies within the true value?

 

[Stephen Tashi]

You aren't expressing your question clearly. It isn't clear whether you have a set of measurements (such the heights of various persons) or a set of vectors of measurements (such as the height and weight of various persons). So it isn't clear what a "data error" would be.

For example, if we use the rather strange terminology that the average height h_bar of the population is the "true" height, then for a person's height h, we could call h - h_bar an "error". However, I don't think most people regard deviating from the average as an error.

If we have an equation H(.) that attempts to predict a persons height from their weight then for a given person with weight w and height h, we could call the quantity (h - H(w)) an "error" since it is an error in in how the equation predicts the weight.

 

[James.L]

I think I get it. My original question got answered by your post, even though my question is poorly formulated.

Thanks!