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Then is called a pivotal quantity (or simply a pivot). Pivotal quantities are commonly used for normalization to allow data from different data sets to be compared. It is relatively easy to construct pivots for location and scale parameters: for the former we form differences so that location cancels, for the latter ratios so that scale cancels.
A ancillary statistic is a specific case of a pivotal quantity that is computed only from the data and not from the parameters. They can be used to construct prediction intervals. They are also used in connection with Basu's theorem to prove independence between statistics. [4]
A random variable that is a function of the random sample and of the unknown parameter, but whose probability distribution does not depend on the unknown parameter is called a pivotal quantity or pivot. Widely used pivots include the z-score, the chi square statistic and Student's t-value.
The theorem states that any estimator that is unbiased for a given unknown quantity and that depends on the data only through a complete, sufficient statistic is the unique best unbiased estimator of that quantity. The Lehmann–Scheffé theorem is named after Erich Leo Lehmann and Henry Scheffé, given their two early papers. [2] [3]
In his book Statistics as Principled Argument, Robert P. Abelson presents the perspective that statistics serve as a standardized method for resolving disagreements among scientists, who could otherwise engage in endless debates about the merits of their respective positions. From this standpoint, statistics can be seen as a form of rhetoric.
A pivotal quantity is a function of data, whose underlying population distribution is a member of a parametric family, that is not dependent on the values of the parameters. An ancillary statistic is such a function that is also a statistic, meaning that it is computed in terms of the data alone.
The calculation is identical to the pivotal method for finding a confidence interval, but the interpretation is different. In fact older books use the terms confidence interval and fiducial interval interchangeably. [citation needed] Notice that the fiducial distribution is uniquely defined when a single sufficient statistic exists.
When power calculations have to be performed, and a small pilot sample is available. Most power and sample size calculations are heavily dependent on the standard deviation of the statistic of interest. If the estimate used is incorrect, the required sample size will also be wrong.