Semilogarithmic plots of data which reflect a continuum of exponential processes

A set of experimental data which describes a curve on semilogarithmic paper may reflect the operation of a continuum of exponential processes, particularly in biological systems where variability is expected. The "backward projection" technique for graphic separation of exponential processes is most misleading when applied to systems in which the processes are distributed so that the standard deviation of halftimes is large compared to the mean halftime.