The Gompertz curve as a growth curve
CP Winsor - Proceedings of the national academy of sciences, 1932 - pnas.org
CP Winsor
Proceedings of the national academy of sciences, 1932•pnas.orgBIOLOGY: CP WINSOR inflection in the early part of the growth cycle, when approximately
35 to 40 per cent of the total growth has been realized, we may use the Gompertz curve with
the expectation that the approximation to the data will be good. There seems, however, no
particular reason to expect that the Gompertz curve will show any wider range of fitting
power than any other three-constant S-shaped curve. For example, the logistic k= 1+ eabx
(5) possesses the same number of constants as the Gompertz curve, but has the point of …
35 to 40 per cent of the total growth has been realized, we may use the Gompertz curve with
the expectation that the approximation to the data will be good. There seems, however, no
particular reason to expect that the Gompertz curve will show any wider range of fitting
power than any other three-constant S-shaped curve. For example, the logistic k= 1+ eabx
(5) possesses the same number of constants as the Gompertz curve, but has the point of …
BIOLOGY: CP WINSOR inflection in the early part of the growth cycle, when approximately 35 to 40 per cent of the total growth has been realized, we may use the Gompertz curve with the expectation that the approximation to the data will be good. There seems, however, no particular reason to expect that the Gompertz curve will show any wider range of fitting power than any other three-constant S-shaped curve. For example, the logistic k
= 1+ eabx (5) possesses the same number of constants as the Gompertz curve, but has the point of inflection mid-way between the asymptotes. The degree of" skewness" in the Gompertz curve is just as fixed as in the logistic; and it is clear that to introduce a variable degree of skewness into a growth curve will require at least four constants. To illustrate the mathematical properties of the Gompertz curve and the logistic, the following table has been prepared.
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