Use of the Maximum Likelihood Method under Quantal Responses for Estimating the Parameters of a Normal Distribution and Its Application to an Armor Penetration Problem
Abstract
Necessary and sufficient conditions are obtained for the existence of the maximum likelihood estimates (MLE) of the parameters of a normal distribution for quantal responses. It is shown that whenever the MLE estimates exist they are unique. A modified Newton-Raphson procedure is given which will converge globally to the MLE estimates. These results are new and directly applicable to an armor plate penetration problem or any other types of experiments based on quantal responses which fall under a normal distribution. A computer program is described which includes as output a set of plotted confidence ellipses centered about the MLE. Various examples and the corresponding computer outputs are given. Probit analysis and confidence regions for small samples are discussed in separate appendices. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Nov 01, 1972
- Accession Number
- AD0762399
Entities
People
- A. R. Didonato
- M. P. Jarnagin Jr.
Organizations
- Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren Division