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.

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??

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.

[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.

[Colapop]

43

[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.