Patterns in Listings of Failure-Rate & MTTF Values and Listings of Other Data

Peter W. Becker

doi:10.1109/TR.1982.5221273

Patterns in Listings of Failure-Rate & MTTF Values and Listings of Other Data

Peter W. Becker

Technical University of Denmark

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Abstract

It has been observed that the decimal parts of failure-rate and MTTF values as listed in tables tend to have a logarithmic distribution. A possible explanation for this phenomenon is given. When such tables have been generated they should be examined to see if the anticipated distribution is present; should that not be the case, a systematic error might well be present. Such testing is one practical application of the observation. The decimal-values from long lists of data quite often tend to have a logarithmic distribution as pointed out by Newcomb and Benford. The phenomenon may be explained in several different ways, depending upon the nature of the data. References to their papers and those by other authors are given. The reader may turn to tables in his own field of interest; such tables will in all likelihood also show the same regularity.

Original language	English
Journal	I E E E Transactions on Reliability
Volume	R-31
Issue number	2
Pages (from-to)	132-134
ISSN	0018-9529
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1109/TR.1982.5221273
Publication status	Published - 1982

Bibliographical note

Copyright: 1982 IEEE. Personal use of this material is permitted. However, permission to reprint/republish this material for advertising or promotional purposes or for creating new collective works for resale or redistribution to servers or lists, or to reuse any copyrighted component of this work in other works must be obtained from the IEEE

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title = "Patterns in Listings of Failure-Rate & MTTF Values and Listings of Other Data",

abstract = "It has been observed that the decimal parts of failure-rate and MTTF values as listed in tables tend to have a logarithmic distribution. A possible explanation for this phenomenon is given. When such tables have been generated they should be examined to see if the anticipated distribution is present; should that not be the case, a systematic error might well be present. Such testing is one practical application of the observation. The decimal-values from long lists of data quite often tend to have a logarithmic distribution as pointed out by Newcomb and Benford. The phenomenon may be explained in several different ways, depending upon the nature of the data. References to their papers and those by other authors are given. The reader may turn to tables in his own field of interest; such tables will in all likelihood also show the same regularity.",

author = "Becker, {Peter W.}",

note = "Copyright: 1982 IEEE. Personal use of this material is permitted. However, permission to reprint/republish this material for advertising or promotional purposes or for creating new collective works for resale or redistribution to servers or lists, or to reuse any copyrighted component of this work in other works must be obtained from the IEEE",

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PY - 1982

Y1 - 1982

N2 - It has been observed that the decimal parts of failure-rate and MTTF values as listed in tables tend to have a logarithmic distribution. A possible explanation for this phenomenon is given. When such tables have been generated they should be examined to see if the anticipated distribution is present; should that not be the case, a systematic error might well be present. Such testing is one practical application of the observation. The decimal-values from long lists of data quite often tend to have a logarithmic distribution as pointed out by Newcomb and Benford. The phenomenon may be explained in several different ways, depending upon the nature of the data. References to their papers and those by other authors are given. The reader may turn to tables in his own field of interest; such tables will in all likelihood also show the same regularity.

AB - It has been observed that the decimal parts of failure-rate and MTTF values as listed in tables tend to have a logarithmic distribution. A possible explanation for this phenomenon is given. When such tables have been generated they should be examined to see if the anticipated distribution is present; should that not be the case, a systematic error might well be present. Such testing is one practical application of the observation. The decimal-values from long lists of data quite often tend to have a logarithmic distribution as pointed out by Newcomb and Benford. The phenomenon may be explained in several different ways, depending upon the nature of the data. References to their papers and those by other authors are given. The reader may turn to tables in his own field of interest; such tables will in all likelihood also show the same regularity.

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DO - 10.1109/TR.1982.5221273

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JO - I E E E Transactions on Reliability

JF - I E E E Transactions on Reliability

IS - 2

ER -

Patterns in Listings of Failure-Rate & MTTF Values and Listings of Other Data

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