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Biometrika 1990 77(2):397-400; doi:10.1093/biomet/77.2.397
© 1990 by Biometrika Trust
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MISCELLANEA

Studies in the history of probability and statistics XLII. Further details of contacts between Boscovich and Simpson in June 1760

R. W. FAREBROTHER

Department of Econometrics and Social Statistics, University of Manchester Manchester M13 9PL, U.K.

In a recent paper Stigler (1984) described a manuscript fragment giving Thomas Simpson's solution to a least absolute deviations regression problem which Ruggiero (Roger) Boscovich had posed to him. In this paper we present evidence that Boscovich received Simpson's solution in person in June 1760. We also note that the second problem discussed by Stigler is closely related to a two-dimensional generalization of the least absolute deviations problem and that two instances of this third problem may be found in the work of Pierre de Fermat.

Key Words: History • Least absolute deviation • Linear prograniming • Median centre • Nonlinearprogram ming • Optical refraction • Regression


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