# Math Help - Unbiased Estimates

1. ## Unbiased Estimates Need Help!!!

A Geiger counter was set up in the physics laboratory to record the number of alpha particle emissions of carbon-14 in half a second. Ten observations yielded the following data:

4, 6 , 9 , 6 , 10 , 11 , 6 , 3 , 7 , 10

Give the value of an unbiased estimate (lambda), the mean number of counts per half second, assuming that these are observations of a Poisson random variable.

Does anyone know how to solve this problem? Me and a couple class mates are lost on it and we're in dire need.

2. Originally Posted by isuckatprobability
A Geiger counter was set up in the physics laboratory to record the number of alpha particle emissions of carbon-14 in half a second. Ten observations yielded the following data:

4, 6 , 9 , 6 , 10 , 11 , 6 , 3 , 7 , 10

Give the value of an unbiased estimate (lambda), the mean number of counts per half second, assuming that these are observations of a Poisson random variable.

Does anyone know how to solve this problem? Me and a couple class mates are lost on it and we're in dire need.
Won't it just be the mean of the data .... ?