An average math discussion

[Jantar]

We wish it was as high as that... Funny.... Roughly half wouldn't even make average, let alone above average...
I take it that maths was never your strong subject at school. :dodge:

If roughly half are below average, then the remainder must be above average, and that would be ...... (um, lets see one take away a half, leaves ...) Ah, roughly one half?

[Patrick]

Reading wasn't your strong point??:bleh:

Roughly half wouldn't even make average, meaning above average would hardly figure at all... The rest are crap drivers.

[Jantar]

Definition of average: The sum of all numbers, divided by the number of numbers.

Take 10 numbers (representing drivers skill perhaps) 1, 3, 3, 4, 4, 5, 5, 5, 7, 8. The average is 4.5, Oh, half the numbers are below this, and half are above.

In any sample if roughly half are below average, then roughly half will be above average.

What would be your definition of average?

[rwh]

We wish it was as high as that... Funny.... Roughly half wouldn't even make average, let alone above average...

Funny thing about rough halves - there's about the same number in both of them.

Richard

[Patrick]

Roughly half wouldn't make average, meaning roughly half are crap. The other half think they are good drivers and the other half think they are gods gift to driving, as for the half that is then left, half of that might be Ok drivers but half think they are not, and half of the three that are finally left are definitely better than average half...

[rwh]

Roughly half wouldn't make average, meaning roughly half are crap. The other half think they are good drivers and the other half think they are gods gift to driving, as for the half that is then left, half of that might be Ok drivers but half think they are not, and half of the three that are finally left are definitely better than average half...

I'm having trouble adding up the halves there ... I'm sure with a bit of effort and following your example, I could conclude that a half-cut driver is only about half a percent impaired :)

Richard

[Jantar]

Roughly half wouldn't make average, meaning roughly half are crap. The other half think they are good drivers and the other half think they are gods gift to driving, as for the half that is then left, half of that might be Ok drivers but half think they are not, and half of the three that are finally left are definitely better than average half...

Whatever you're drinking tonight, I want some. :mellow:

[swbarnett]

Definition of average: The sum of all numbers, divided by the number of numbers.

Take 10 numbers (representing drivers skill perhaps) 1, 3, 3, 4, 4, 5, 5, 5, 7, 8. The average is 4.5, Oh, half the numbers are below this, and half are above.

In any sample if roughly half are below average, then roughly half will be above average.

What would be your definition of average?

I hate to pull you up on this but the number with half of the data on either side is actually the median, not the average.

Take 11 numbers 1, 3, 3, 4, 4, 5, 6, 6, 7, 8, 800. The average is roughly 77 the median is 5.

[Jantar]

I hate to pull you up on this but the number with half of the data on either side is actually the median, not the average.

Take 11 numbers 1, 3, 3, 4, 4, 5, 6, 6, 7, 8, 800. The average is roughly 77 the median is 5.
Yes, in your example there would not be half of the number either side of the mean, but the 800 is such an extreme outlier that it is outside the confidence interval and could not be considered as part of the same sample. In any normal distribution there will be roughly half of the sample either side of the mean, there will be exactly half either side of the median.

Incidentally, I'll have these maths posts moved to a thread of their own.

[boomer]

Yes, in your example there would not be half of the number either side of the mean, but the 800 is such an extreme outlier that it is outside the confidence interval and could not be considered as part of the same sample. In any normal distribution there will be roughly half of the sample either side of the mean, there will be exactly half either side of the median.

Incidentally, I'll have these maths posts moved to a thread of their own.

save ya self the effort and just move yours ;)

[Pussy]

Definition of average: The sum of all numbers, divided by the number of numbers.

Take 10 numbers (representing drivers skill perhaps) 1, 3, 3, 4, 4, 5, 5, 5, 7, 8. The average is 4.5, Oh, half the numbers are below this, and half are above.

In any sample if roughly half are below average, then roughly half will be above average.

What would be your definition of average?

The CORRECT definition of "average" is: Halfway between the worst of the best and the cream of the crap

[Jantar]

But sometimes the cream of crap is far better than the worst of the best. :innocent:

[Colapop]

43 <dsrhulkg>

[swbarnett]

Yes, in your example there would not be half of the number either side of the mean, but the 800 is such an extreme outlier that it is outside the confidence interval and could not be considered as part of the same sample. In any normal distribution there will be roughly half of the sample either side of the mean, there will be exactly half either side of the median.

Incidentally, I'll have these maths posts moved to a thread of their own.

I see what you're getting at now. The 800 was intended to be way bigger than the rest to prove my point. You are of course correct that in any even distribution the mean and median will be the same.

[McJim]

I see what you're getting at now. The 800 was intended to be way bigger than the rest to prove my point. You are of course correct that in any even distribution the mean and median will be the same.

But even distributions only happen in models - real life is always f*cked up.

Don't think Paddyfaenaki was trying to be scientific - just trying to describe a concept.

[Kittyhawk]

When you say rough half Im thinking something cut in half but not of perfect line.

Whats the percent of a rough half?

[swbarnett]

But even distributions only happen in models - real life is always f*cked up.

Don't think Paddyfaenaki was trying to be scientific - just trying to describe a concept.
Indeed I agree that we've probably gotten way of the original point (that's probably why this is now a new thread).

It's easy to get hung up on semantics.

With enough data a real world sample may approximate a symmetrical distribution (or may not).


When you say rough half Im thinking something cut in half but not of perfect line.

Whats the percent of a rough half?

To be overly mathematical 50%+/-some calculated error depending on the model.

[Jeremy]

But even distributions only happen in models - real life is always f*cked up.

Don't think Paddyfaenaki was trying to be scientific - just trying to describe a concept.

I invoke the power of the CENTRAL LIMIT THEOREM.

MWHAHAHA.

k, will go back to a corner now and finish my maths major. Just one more semester to go, yay.

[The Pastor]

its like this, group A has over half (of its group) that suck balls.

But compared to the nation then it works ok.


Buy a cad drawing from me.

[Edbear]

43 <dsrhulkg>



Actually it's 42, but who's counting...?:innocent:

Tell yer wot! Let's split the difference!:done:

[Patrick]

43 <dsrhulkg>

Monty?????

[Sanx]

Monty?????

It's 42, and it's Douglas.

[Patrick]

It's 42, and it's Douglas.

42?? Douglas?? Which one is it then?

(It was Monty Pythons "The meaning of Life" wasn't it???:yes:)

[Crisis management]

No, Douglas Adams, The hitch hikers guide to the Galaxy.......

Different religion!

[swbarnett]

It's 42, and it's Douglas.
"What do you get if you multiply 6 by 9?"

Arthur Dent: "That's it. 6 by 9, 42. I always said there was something fundamentally wrong about the universe."

[Jantar]

But 6 x 9 does equal 42. (in base 13).

[rwh]

But 6 x 9 does equal 42. (in base 13).

[checks book]
The book, of course, says 'forty-two', and I assume the radio/tv variants have it pronounced like that too. Which, of course, means it's decimal.

Richard

[Jantar]

42 is pronounced forty-two irrespective of the base (as long its greater than base 4), so why should we assume its decimal? After all, this is in a universe designed by white mice. :shutup:

THHGTTG is my bible.

[rwh]

42 is pronounced forty-two irrespective of the base
Not what I was taught - it should be 'four two base thirteen' (where thirteen is again decimal for the same reasons ...) if base 13 is what you want.


(as long its greater than base 4), so why should we assume its decimal? After all, this is in a universe designed by white mice. :shutup:


Agreed, the mice may be to blame for the confusion - though so could Arthur's babelfish, perhaps.

Richard

[swbarnett]

THHGTTG is my bible.
I have all 26 episodes of all four series on CD. I used to be able to recite the first two series verbatim.

[scumdog]

I got 18% in School Cert maths.
Apparently.

So you can't tell THIS fella jack-shit about maths!








The teachers tried.
And they failed too.

[Mekk]

So if over half the population don't care, does that mean the average KBer should be out riding instead of talking BS in a math thread?

Blah, gemme a beer.