Hanging Pictures

In the two preceding issues we examined various possible happenings when you compare the accuracy of the conclusions in an applied problem to the accuracy of the assumptions. The unexpected phenomenon in "Tunnel Vision," the more recent of the pair, was a startling insensitivity to the accuracy of a particular measurement. In the Note which follows, we will see the opposite phenomenon: A great and seemingly undeserved sensitivity to the accuracy of an input measurement, which makes the completion of the practical task much more difficult than one would expect.

Again, we won't spoil the story by saying any more. But as you read, consider the contrast between "Picture Hanging" and "Tunnel Vision."