The objective is to create a microcomputer program to be used as a statistical utility and instructional tool by researchers, statisticians, and instructors and students of statistics. The initial effort and a major component of this tool is to replace printed tables of statistical distributions. To attract users the program will be intuitively simple to use, generally more accurate than printed tables (never less) and faster to use than the printed tables. Applications using the statistical distributions, such as power analysis, will add significant utility to the program by allowing researchers to design more efficient and less costly experiments. The input to the program is the distribution type and one or more parameters. The output includes a selection of distribution characteristics, power calculations and a graphical display of the distribution. Phase I concentrates on the computer/user interface. Specifically this includes: the design and programming of the core computer program environment with extensive online context-sensitive help and four statistical distributions complete with color graphical output and power analysis. Phase II results in a marketable computer program with 25-35 statistical distributions and publication of the algorithm source code so that others may more easily incorporate the distributions in other products.
