The accuracy and stability of the Ti-83+ graphing calculators and the International Mathematical and Statistical Libraries were assessed. Random number generators were tested using Marsaglia's DIEHARD Battery of Randomness Tests; NIST Statistical Reference Datasets were used to assess the accuracy of univariate summary statistics, analysis of variance, linear regression and nonlinear regression; probability distribution functions were assessed with Knusel's ELV. The results of the probablity distribution tests show that all of the statistical packages' distribution functions compute inaccurate probabilities coresponding to extreme lower quantiles. None of the statistical packages passed all of the DIEHARD randomness tests. All of the packages computed accurate univariate summary statistics, and mostly accurate analysis of variance. Nonlinear regression tests showed that ISML's nonlinear regression routine becomes unstable when the regression solutions are in the vicinity of zero.

• This report represents the work of one or more WPI undergraduate students submitted to the faculty as evidence of completion of a degree requirement. WPI routinely publishes these reports on its website without editorial or peer review.

Creator

• Legare, Jonathan Charles

Publisher

• Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Identifier

• 04D011M

Advisor

• Petruccelli, Joseph D.

Year

• 2004

Date created

• 2004-01-01

Resource type

• Major Qualifying Project

Major

• Mathematical Sciences

Rights statement

• In Copyright