Origin of Ogive

Date: 08/26/2002 at 17:45:37
From: Greta Bornemann
Subject: Ogive graphs

What is the origin of the term "ogive"? I know what the word means, 
but I would like to know where the name came from. 

Thanks.

Date: 08/28/2002 at 05:57:36
From: Doctor Pat
Subject: Re: Ogive graphs

Greta,

Part of what is in Math Words and Some Other Words of Interest, at 

   http://www.geocities.com/poetsoutback/etyindex.html  

under the term ogive is:

"The term was applied by Francis Galton to the cumulative normal 
distribution but is used more generally now. The word originally 
comes from a term in architecture for a diagonal rib of a Gothic 
vault or a pointed arch. The term comes from the Late Latin obvita, 
the feminine past participle of obvire, to resist."
 
Hope that helps.

- Doctor Pat, The Math Forum
  http://mathforum.org/dr.math/