method of least squares
Oxford Dictionary of Statistics:
Top
method of least squares
A method originated by Legendre, which refers to the process of estimating the unknown parameters of a model by minimizing the sum of squared differences between the observed values of a random variable and the values predicted by the model. If every observation is given equal weight then this is ordinary least squares (OLS). See also generalized least squares; weighted least squares.
Post a question - any question - to the WikiAnswers community:
Copyrights:
Oxford Dictionary of Statistics
A Dictionary of Statistics. Second edition revised. Copyright © Oxford University Press, 2008. All rights reserved.
Read more