<p>I have just found myself adding these three tags (<a href="https://stats.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/numerics" class="post-tag" title="show questions tagged &#39;numerics&#39;" rel="tag">numerics</a>, <a href="https://stats.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/algorithms" class="post-tag" title="show questions tagged &#39;algorithms&#39;" rel="tag">algorithms</a>, and <a href="https://stats.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/computational-statistics" class="post-tag" title="show questions tagged &#39;computational-statistics&#39;" rel="tag">computational-statistics</a>) to the following question (noticing an offered bounty): <a href="https://stats.stackexchange.com/questions/1829">What algorithm is used in linear regression?</a> -- and it made me wonder if there are any worthy differences between these tags.</p>

<p>Below I copy-paste the current wiki excerpts (and numbers of questions). Notice that all three wiki excerpts mention <strong>algorithms</strong>, which seems to me the main topic of all these tags. Should we perhaps make them all synonyms? If not, what are the usage guidelines?</p>

<p><strong>Worse,</strong> browsing the highest voted [computational-statistics] questions, I am wondering if we need this tag at all. It seems that it is used either when [algorithms] can be used as well, or when [software] would fit more, or, most disturbingly, instead of [statistics] tag (which is deprecated on CV) i.e. only adding noise. I am thinking that we should perhaps get rid of this tag altogether.</p>

<p>So it seems I have two questions:</p>

<ol>
<li><p>Should we merge [numerics] into [algorithms]? </p></li>
<li><p>What should we do about [computational-statistics]?</p></li>
</ol>

<hr>

<ul>
<li><p><a href="https://stats.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/algorithms" class="post-tag" title="show questions tagged &#39;algorithms&#39;" rel="tag">algorithms</a> (480) (<a href="https://stats.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/algorithms?sort=votes&amp;pageSize=50">https://stats.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/algorithms?sort=votes&amp;pageSize=50</a>)</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>An algorithm is a a set of one or more computations that will produce a calculated result. All statistics methods are algorithms. Algorithms can be simple, such as calculating a percentage, or can be very complex and require a computer for fast and accurate results.</p>
</blockquote></li>
<li><p><a href="https://stats.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/computational-statistics" class="post-tag" title="show questions tagged &#39;computational-statistics&#39;" rel="tag">computational-statistics</a> (336)</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>Refers to the interface of statistics and computing; the use of algorithms and software for statistical purposes.</p>
</blockquote></li>
<li><p><a href="https://stats.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/numerics" class="post-tag" title="show questions tagged &#39;numerics&#39;" rel="tag">numerics</a> (47)</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>Also known as Numerical Analysis, Numerics aims to provide methods and algorithms for numerical computations.</p>
</blockquote></li>
</ul>
