Thread: Standard deviation

Hi,

I was just wondering if anyone can help with this question.

There is a fireplace dated to 30780 +or- 520yrs BP. I am wondering if there is any way of reducing the plus or minus factor of the standard deviation at all. If so is it worth it??

Thanks in advance for any help!!!

Originally Posted by bungy189

Hi,

I was just wondering if anyone can help with this question.

There is a fireplace dated to 30780 +or- 520yrs BP. I am wondering if there is any way of reducing the plus or minus factor of the standard deviation at all. If so is it worth it??

Thanks in advance for any help!!!

First of all, what is 30780 "BP"??

I don't know if this counts, but the most reasonable way to reduce the size of the error estimate is to measure the age a large number of times. (This is usually avoided in the historical sciences due to cost constraints or by lack of material to test.)

-Dan

Originally Posted by bungy189

Hi,

I was just wondering if anyone can help with this question.

There is a fireplace dated to 30780 +or- 520yrs BP. I am wondering if there is any way of reducing the plus or minus factor of the standard deviation at all. If so is it worth it??

Thanks in advance for any help!!!

How is the hearth dated? If multiple independent dates can be obtained then the uncertaintanty can be reduced.

RonL

Originally Posted by topsquark

First of all, what is 30780 "BP"??

Years Before Present.

(When I first started school the teacher showed me to a seat and told me to sit there for the present - do you know that I never received that present)

RonL