Published online by Cambridge University Press: 26 February 2010
The analysis of the intervals which arise between events occurring randomly in time is a problem which is both interesting and important statistically. Two distinct types of data may arise: either the period of time during which the events are observed may be fixed or the number of intervals may be fixed. It may happen that the intervals between pairs of events, close in time, cannot be accurately measured. It is thus necessary to consider the lengths of intervals ordered according to their magnitudes. We derive here functions of these ordered interval lengths which may be used as a basis for tests for randomness of events occurring in a fixed period of time. The mathematical formulation of this problem is in terms of the classical problem of intervals between points on a line.