Teaching Statistics with Data of Historic Significance: Galileo's Gravity and Motion Experiments

This article demonstrates the use of two datasets as an aid in teaching polynomial and nonlinear regression. The data were gathered by Galileo during his studies of falling bodies and projectiles. In analyzing and discussing these data, students are challenged to give thought to parsimony, independent and dependent variables, and the importance of understanding the scientific nature of the experiment. The opportunities for class discussion are especially rich in this understandable and real experiment, particularly when coupled with graphical analysis.