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"by" or "with"

English translation: with = and

21:27 Oct 26, 2012
English language (monolingual) [PRO]
Science - Computers: Systems, Networks / informatics
English term or phrase: "by" or "with"
The replenishment lead time is exponentially distributed with parameter v > 0.

Is the author saying "while parameter v > 0" or "is distributed by parameter v > 0."
Lioba Multer
United States
Local time: 13:23
Selected answer:with = and
Explanation:
I'm pretty sure it means your first option, 'while' — however, that in itself is ambiguous, as the 'while' might be taken as implying that the '...lead time is exponentially distributed only when v > 0', which I don't think is correct at all.

So I'd suggest reading it rather as if it were 'and', which makes no causal implication at all.

This is a common-enough way of expressing things in maths.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 23 hrs (2012-10-27 21:04:56 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

BDF has explained it much better than I, but maybe this extra explanation may also help.

Your suggestion of 'while' would lead to:

"The replenishment lead time is exponentially distributed when / if / as long as parameter v > 0." (implying that if v = or < 0, things would be different)

But I do not believe this to be the case, and as BDF has pointed out, the specific choice of the term 'with' seems to indicate the writer was deliberately seeking to avoid implying any causality here.

So the other interpretation, which I favour (in the absence of corroborating information), would be:

"The replenishment lead time is exponentially distributed; and the parameter v > 0." — implying merely a fortuitous circumstance.

However, it is important to note that all this might change if there is further information in your text that might explain the exact situation!
Selected response from:

Tony M
France
Local time: 22:23
Grading comment
Thank you!
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



SUMMARY OF ALL EXPLANATIONS PROVIDED
4 +3with = and
Tony M
3 -1is distributed "by" applying the parameter v>0
John Alphonse (X)


Discussion entries: 2





  

Answers


48 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): -1
is distributed "by" applying the parameter v>0


Explanation:
To calculate the inventory replenishment lead time you need to apply the parameter, I believe this is saying...

John Alphonse (X)
United States
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 12

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  Tony M: I'm pretty sure that's not the case, John — though I'm not going to stick my neck out and 'disagree' ;-)
8 mins
  -> Haha, good one, Tony! Thought I'd at least get the discussion rolling and see if any guillotine operators came to the party! Thank you!
disagree  B D Finch: OK, I'll stick my neck out (being more imprudent than Tony). There is nothing in the source text to imply causality. Indeed, the use of "with" could be understood as deliberately avoiding attribution of causality.
15 hrs
  -> Good point! :)
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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +3
with = and


Explanation:
I'm pretty sure it means your first option, 'while' — however, that in itself is ambiguous, as the 'while' might be taken as implying that the '...lead time is exponentially distributed only when v > 0', which I don't think is correct at all.

So I'd suggest reading it rather as if it were 'and', which makes no causal implication at all.

This is a common-enough way of expressing things in maths.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 23 hrs (2012-10-27 21:04:56 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

BDF has explained it much better than I, but maybe this extra explanation may also help.

Your suggestion of 'while' would lead to:

"The replenishment lead time is exponentially distributed when / if / as long as parameter v > 0." (implying that if v = or < 0, things would be different)

But I do not believe this to be the case, and as BDF has pointed out, the specific choice of the term 'with' seems to indicate the writer was deliberately seeking to avoid implying any causality here.

So the other interpretation, which I favour (in the absence of corroborating information), would be:

"The replenishment lead time is exponentially distributed; and the parameter v > 0." — implying merely a fortuitous circumstance.

However, it is important to note that all this might change if there is further information in your text that might explain the exact situation!

Tony M
France
Local time: 22:23
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 12
Grading comment
Thank you!

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Tina Vonhof (X)
2 hrs
  -> Thanks, Tina!
agree  B D Finch: I think that it is less a question of ambiguity, than a limited amount of information. "With" is certainly the correct term to use, rather than "while", or "and". The sentence makes no comment about whether v < = 0 would be a possibility.
15 hrs
  -> Thanks, B! Absolutely, much better put than my own feeble explanation! ;-)
agree  Phong Le
2 days 4 hrs
  -> Thanks, Phong Le!
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