Raghu N Kacker and James F Lawrence 2007 Metrologia 44 117 doi:10.1088/0026-1394/44/2/003
Raghu N Kacker1 and James F Lawrence1,2
Show affiliationsThe Guide to the Expression of Uncertainty in Measurement (GUM), published by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), recognizes Type B state-of-knowledge probability distributions specified by scientific judgment as valid means to quantify uncertainty. The ISO-GUM discusses symmetric probability distributions only. Sometimes an asymmetric distribution is needed. We describe a trapezoidal distribution which may be asymmetric depending on the settings of its parameters. We describe the probability density function, cumulative distribution function (cdf), inverse function of the cdf, moment generating function, moments about origin (zero), expected value and variance of a trapezoidal distribution. We show that triangular and rectangular distributions are special cases of the trapezoidal distribution. Then we derive the moment generating functions, moments, expected values and variances of various special cases of the trapezoidal distribution. Finally, we illustrate through a real life example how a Type B asymmetric trapezoidal distribution may be useful in quantifying a correction for bias (systematic error) in a result of measurement and in quantifying the standard uncertainty associated with the correction.
Issue 2 (April 2007)
Received 6 September 2006
Published 26 February 2007
Raghu N Kacker and James F Lawrence 2007 Metrologia 44 117
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