Deviation of random samples from average conditions and significance to traffic men

THE traffic executive deals with questions which lead him into the consideration of problems of widely differing natures. At almost every turn he is confronted by the fact that his decisions and programs in relation to these different phases of the work must be based on records which are seldom continuous and in most cases are merely “samples.” These sample records are assumed to measure the characteristics of the entire volume of facts or data of which they are taken to be representative. In the use and analysis of these records there are a number of perplexing questions which come to his mind if he allows himself the luxury of a little theoretical speculation.