Abstract: | Abstract Assume that a large number of observations are made on a normal random variable with the density function where σ σ 0, When the sample is very large the ordinary estimates of µ and a involve considerable computational work. In order to simplify the estimation of µ and/or σ it is sometimes convenient to select a small number of sample quantiles and to use estimates which are linear functions of these sample quantiles, Such a procedure is particularly convenient when the observations occur naturally in order of magnitude, which happens in life testing, for instance, Let ![id=](/na101/home/literatum/publisher/tandf/journals/content/sact20/1963/sact20.v1963.i03-04/03461238.1963.10410605/production/images/medium/sact_a_10410605_o_f0002.gif) |