probabilities

[Eric]

Just a random thought...it bothers me when I see these generalized questions, say "what does a 24 out of 25 match mean" and then someone writes back an answer with a supposed probability. I think a 24/25 match has a completely different interpretation, say if DYS 454 is the only mismatch vs. say DYS 385b being the only mismatch...I don't know anything about biology, but I do now a lot about statistics. I think the 24/25 match question can't be answered with any great deal of meaning without knowing which DYS value is the mismatch...garbage in, garbage out...and there's my musings.. Eric..

[Rossi]

Just a random thought...it bothers me when I see these generalized questions, say "what does a 24 out of 25 match mean" and then someone writes back an answer with a supposed probability. I think a 24/25 match has a completely different interpretation, say if DYS 454 is the only mismatch vs. say DYS 385b being the only mismatch...I don't know anything about biology, but I do now a lot about statistics. I think the 24/25 match question can't be answered with any great deal of meaning without knowing which DYS value is the mismatch...garbage in, garbage out...and there's my musings.. Eric..

Having found different population geographies in the YHRD database by changing just one DYS value by one (from DYS392 =11 to DYS392 = 10) for a particular haplotype, I would agree.