German Tank Problem
In the statistical theory of estimation, the problem of estimating the maximum of a discrete uniform distribution from sampling without replacement, is known, in the English-speaking world, as the German tank problem, due to its application in World War II to the estimation of the number of German tanks.
The analyses illustrate the difference between frequentist inference and Bayesian inference.
Estimating the population maximum based on a single sample yields divergent results, while the estimation based on multiple samples is an instructive practical estimation question whose answer is simple but not obvious.
Read more about German Tank Problem: Example, Historical Problem, Bayesian Analysis
Famous quotes containing the words german and/or problem:
“Better extirpate the whole breed, root and branch. And this, unless the German people come to their senses, is what we propose to do.”
—Gertrude Atherton (1857–1948)
“The problem ... is emblematic of what hasn’t changed during the equal opportunity revolution of the last 20 years. Doors opened; opportunities evolved. Law, institutions, corporations moved forward. But many minds did not.”
—Anna Quindlen (b. 1952)