An Investigation of the Statistical Distribution of Total Station Measured Data

Abstract

It has been investigated and discovered that the Global Positioning System (GPS) measured quantities are normally distributed [1]. Can we say the same of other digital equipment used for measurement in surveying? In this paper, an attempt is made to investigate whether or not the Total Station, which is digital equipment, measured quantities are normally distributed. The data used are the repeated Total Station measured distances of a line at the Federal Polytechnic, Ado-Ekiti. The investigation is carried out using both the graphical approach and numerical testing. The chi-square for goodness-of-fit test was used in the numerical testing. The plotted histogram and normal curve shows that the observed quantities of a total station instrument are normally distributed. The computed statistic (T) (5.4655) is neither more than the table statistic (T) (17.53) at the upper limit) nor less than the table statistic (T) (at lower limit). Therefore, the Null hypothesis which states that total station measured quantities are normally distributed is not rejected at five percent level of significance. It is concluded that total station measured quantities are normally distributed.