Re: [Phys-L] no spin decay

[David Bowman <David_Bowman@georgetowncollege.edu>]

Regarding Brian's observation/comment/question:

> Least squares straight line fit for a log plotted exponential
> unduly weights one end of the straight line I thought, so the
> time honored way subsides in dishonor??
>
> Brian W

This would be the case if one did the fit naïvely and merely assumed the error bars and their corresponding weights in the fit were the same for all the data points after the logarithmic data transformation is made.  But if one properly propagates the error bands through the transformation and then actually uses the proper weights that the transformed error bars demand then the problem Brian mentions would not occur.  Properly used, the time-honored method stands the test of time.

David Bowman