A Statistical Analysis of the Latin and English

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A Statistical Analysis of the Latin and English

versions of the Aeneid by Virgil

EIN 3235 Evaluation of Engineering Data

Section U21, Winter 2026, Group No. 89

John Smith

PID: 1111111

Sam Johnson

PID: 2222222

Abstract

For this research project we wanted to use statistical analysis on both the English and

Latin versions of the epic poem Aeneid so that we may make comparisons between

versions using our findings, specifically focusing on the word lengths. We hope to use

this data to make accurate conclusions about the two different versions such as

complexity and length. To accomplish this we used the program Mathematica, a statistical

analysis tool that will do our calculations and graphical summaries. Using Mathematica,

our data shows that when comparing both versions of the poem, the Latin version use both

on average longer words than the English version and even demonstrates a higher level of

sophisticated language use.

January, 2026

1. Introduction

Aeneid is a Latin epic poem written by Virgil between 29 and 19 BC that tells the story of a Trojan named Aeneas

and how he became the ancestor of the Romans spanning across 12 books. This project is to use statistical analysis to

compare both the English and Latin versions of the Aeneid and make conclusions based on the data. Through this research,

one will not only learn how to conduct statistical analysis using a real world model, but also hone their skills as engineers to

make well thought out conclusions based on the evidence collected.

Rationale

In engineering, statistical analysis is an important aspect in all disciplines of engineering from Electrical to Civil and

honing these skills is just one of the many responsibilities engineering students have if they are to be successful in the field,

hence this research is aimed at practicing how to use different statistical analysis techniques using computer-based mathemat-

ical tools such as Mathematica.

Purpose

The purpose of this project is not only to make accurate and significant comparisons between the English and Latin

versions of the “Aeneid,” but more importantly to practice statistical analysis using Wolfram’s Mathematica.

The purpose of this project is not only to make accurate and significant comparisons between the English and Latin

versions of the “Aeneid,” but more importantly to practice statistical analysis using Wolfram’s Mathematica.

Research Questions

è How does one use Wolfram Mathematica?

è What is statistical analysis?

è What is the difference between a sample and the population?

è What do the different kinds of graphical summaries say about the data set?

è Which numerical summaries are appropriate to make conclusions about a data set?

è How is statistical analysis useful in engineering?

2. concepts in engineering

Engineering and Science are subjects that are deeply rooted in the measurement and analyzation of changing

variables from the electrical engineer measuring the resistance in different resistors to the chemist calculating the amount of

moles in a gaseous substance and even to the zoologist counting the amount of a certain species per square mile in the

African savannas. The problem lies where ever there is a measurement, there is also the chance of a measurement error and

that is where statistical analysis comes into play. Not only does statistical analysis assure an accurate measurement, but also

acts as a measurement of the likely error as well. allows for the accurate measurements of experimental variables

through repetition. This allows for conclusions to be accurate and not due to a coincidence. Statistical analysis also allows

for large amounts of data to be described easily using simple to read graphical summaries as well as representing the data

with a single numerical value, often described as the “central” measure of all the data. Using these graphical summaries as

well as the central numerical values, one could even use this information to make accurate predictions in the field of

engineering through the application of statistical probability. This is used often in manufacturing in combination with

sampling techniques to test different manufacturing techniques and deciding on the best one. Other examples of statistical

concepts in engineering and science fields are shown below:

è Quality Control applies the concepts of statistical analysis to the factors involving manufacturing to decide whether or

not a sample should be accepted

è Reliability engineering measures how a system can consistently performs a specific function under specified conditions

for a predetermined amount a time [3]

è Biostatistics uses statistical analysis to study biological phenomena and observations, extending as far as to medical

applications [4]

è Machine Learning is a subfield of computer science branching from artificial intelligence that uses statistical concepts

to recognize patterns and build algorithms according to data [5]

3. Problem statement

This project is focused on using statistical analysis to make conclusions about two versions of the Aeneid, the

English and Latin versions, while focusing on the analyzation of word lengths. An additional aspect of this project is to then

compare each version to its respective dictionary and make additional conclusions about the different versions of the

Aeneid. The use of the mathematical tool Mathematica will help in the calculation of the large amounts of data as well as

provide us with the different types of graphical summaries to help in making conclusions about the different versions of the

Aeneid.

4. Description of data

The library of Mathematica© includes the Latin and English versions of the Aeneid of Virgil. By using the com-

mand “ExampleData[]” and specifying the language, we can access both versions and store them in an array.

2 EIN-3235-Project-example-(!)-v03.nb

english = ExampleData@8″Text”, “AeneidEnglish”