Comments on: Origin of “statistically significant” http://www.johndcook.com/blog/2008/11/17/origin-of-statistically-significant/ The blog of John D. Cook Sat, 31 Jul 2010 07:45:27 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: John http://www.johndcook.com/blog/2008/11/17/origin-of-statistically-significant/comment-page-1/#comment-9865 John Mon, 17 Nov 2008 21:38:17 +0000 http://www.johndcook.com/blog/?p=812#comment-9865 I've heard the same thing about relativity and GPS. On the other hand, I've heard that the constant in Newton's law of gravity is only known to 4 significant figures. Apparently you don't need to know the equations of motion to extraordinary precision to send a probe to the outer planets. There must be a large amount of in-flight correction, Kalman filters and all that. I’ve heard the same thing about relativity and GPS. On the other hand, I’ve heard that the constant in Newton’s law of gravity is only known to 4 significant figures. Apparently you don’t need to know the equations of motion to extraordinary precision to send a probe to the outer planets. There must be a large amount of in-flight correction, Kalman filters and all that.

]]> By: John Venier http://www.johndcook.com/blog/2008/11/17/origin-of-statistically-significant/comment-page-1/#comment-9862 John Venier Mon, 17 Nov 2008 21:13:32 +0000 http://www.johndcook.com/blog/?p=812#comment-9862 I've heard that GPS needs to take relativity into account to get the right answer; if so relativistic effects are meaningful quite close to home! Okay, okay, make that "macro-scale". I've had the "statistically significant but clinically insignificant" conversation with non-statisticians many times over the years. It is one of the most important (IMO) lessons one could hope to retain from an introductory course. I’ve heard that GPS needs to take relativity into account to get the right answer; if so relativistic effects are meaningful quite close to home! Okay, okay, make that “macro-scale”.

I’ve had the “statistically significant but clinically insignificant” conversation with non-statisticians many times over the years. It is one of the most important (IMO) lessons one could hope to retain from an introductory course.

]]>