The True Effectiveness of Dry-erase Erasers

Abstract

Sparked by the interesting observation of the correlation between the omnipresence of dry-erase erasers and their low usage, research to test the actual effectiveness of dry-erase erasers was conducted. Alternatives of relatively similar effectiveness and use were selected to be tested against the dry-erase eraser, with ‘effectiveness’ determined by the percentage erased of an equal, constant drawing. The almost completely automated experiment design was made with the intentions of minimizing human influence and error. Using the collected data, the four “other candidates” (candidates excluding the dry-erase eraser) were group in pairs to perform multiple two-sided t-tests to determine whether the means of % erased were statistically different. Because they were not, the comparison with the dry-erase eraser was held with a collective alternative variable, which was just the averaging of the values of the other candidates. This one-sided t-test yielded convincing evidence of a more significant mean percentage erased for the dry-erase eraser, upholding its stance as a valuable item.