Applying Novel Mean Residual Life Confidence Intervals

  • Guess, F.M. (Department of Statistics, Operations, and Management Science 338 Stokely Management Center University of Tennessee) ;
  • Steele, J.C. (Department of Statistics, Operations, and Management Science 331 Stokely Management Center University of Tennessee) ;
  • Young, T.M. (Tennessee Forest Products Center, 2506 Jacob Drive, University of Tennessee) ;
  • Leon, R.V. (Department of Statistics, Operations, and Management Science 337 Stokely Management Center University of Tennessee)
  • Published : 2006.06.30

Abstract

Typical confidence intervals for a mean or mean residual life (MRL) are centered about the mean or mean residual life. We discuss novel confidence intervals that produce statements like "we are 95% confident that the MRL function, e(t), is greater than a prespecified $\mu_o$ for all t in the interval [0, $\hat{\theta})$)" where $\hat{\theta}$ is determined from the sample data, confidence level, and $\mu_o$. Also, we can have statements like 'we are 95% confident that the MRL of population 1, namely $e_1$(t), is greater than the MRL of population 2, $e_2$(t), for all t in the interval [0, $\hat{\theta}$)" where $\hat{\theta}$ is determined from the sample data and confidence level. We illustrate these one and two sample confidence intervals on internal bonds (tensile strengths) for an important modem engineered wood product, called medium density fiberboard (MDF), used internationally.

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