What is the technique called for tracing data back to a source?

[Nerdydude101]

I I was watching something the other day and using math they were able to trace droplets of water back to an origin point (they used that I then find the origin of a rapist but I don't know about that being realistically possible) but they didn't say what it was called that they were doing, usually they do and I look it up to learn more and I was wondering if anyone could tell me what this analysis was called, tracing data back to a source. Thanks!

 

[jedishrfu]

This was from episode 1 of the Numb3rs series.

Here's the episodes with the associated math topics covered:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Numbers_episodes_(season_1)

and here's a pdf of work done to track pollution:

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=...=-XfN-Zw0-ieTUyI-L7W5pA&bvm=bv.72676100,d.b2U

 

[Nerdydude101]

Would it actually be possible to do what he did and track a criminal back to an origin point like that?

 

[jedishrfu]

Yes, I think its possible and yes I think it was actually used by a mathematician police officer in Canada a few years earlier, developed into an application for poilce depts and was the basis for the episode.

This may answer your question better:

http://www.math.cornell.edu/~numb3rs/luthy/num101.html

and for other episodes:

http://www.math.cornell.edu/~numb3rs/lipa/Episodes/

Lastly, some more commentary of some episodes and how realistic the math was:

http://homepage.smc.edu/nestler_andrew/numb3rs.htm

 

[CellCoree]

The technique used in the scenario you described is called "source tracking" or "source identification." It involves using mathematical models and data analysis to trace the origin of a substance or event back to its source. In the case of tracing droplets of water, this could involve analyzing the chemical composition of the water and using algorithms to determine where it came from. While it may be possible to use this technique in criminal investigations, it is important to note that it would require a significant amount of data and evidence to accurately identify a specific individual as the source of the droplets.