As I grow older I find myself wishing I'd taken mathematics more seriously so about the most I can add to this thread is THANKS for inspiring me to learn something. When I glanced at this ten second animation on youtube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1hGsKphwC-A - demonstrating Linear Regression I realize I've put it into practice locating median lines on charts all along.
I noted that when Bitcoin broke out over the previous all time high, 266 or so, that the altcoin market lit on fire. I believe it's safe to say that all most all the altcoins experienced 10x to 20x growth in a very short time. Now when the new all time high was reached and price finally started to retreat, I noticed that the declines of the altcoins were much more extreme percentage wise than Bitcoin.
It seems to me that during this early phase, the past two months specifically, that one could seek safety in Bitcoin on downtrends and seek high beta in altcoins on the way up. I believe a lot of traders see this and eventually the trade is too crowded (for hobby traders to win at) but it certainly caused some excitement over the past 60 days.