This graph depicts a simulated "random walk," in which one repeatedly flips a coin: If it comes up heads, take a step forward; if it's tails, step backward. This portion of the "walk" seems to show a periodic oscillation, with peaks or valleys every 500 coin flips, but no real cyclic process is occuring, just random chance. This illusion is common in these "stochastic" processes. (Jason Goodman, Woods Hole Oceaonographic Institution)[back]
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