Play Nice Maths is not for joking people about.

[Carn The Berries]

So if someone said "50 per cent of Australians are of below average intelligence. That's just maths.", you would instantly know they are talking about "median"? How exactly?

If someone mentioned it in the context of "below" average, I would initially assume that they had used Median (as it is a measure of central tendency). Having said that, I would seek clarification as to the basis used for making the claim.

The point I am trying to make is, there are different types of averages, a fact people here are trying to argue against.

Stats can say whatever you want them to say. A level of critical thinking always needs to be applied.

 

[Number37]

This ^^^ = wrong

Glossary:Average - Statistics Explained

ec.europa.eu

Did you read your own link???


There are three main types of averages:

• the mean (the sum or product of the values of a group of numbers divided by how many numbers there are in the group);
• the median (the middle value of a group of numbers);
• the mode or modus (the most common value of a group of numbers).

However, in common daily usage, the term 'average' often refers to the mean...and even more specifically to the arithmetic mean rather than to the geometric mean, harmonic mean, median or mode.

 

[Carn The Berries]

Did you read your own link???


There are three main types of averages:

• the mean (the sum or product of the values of a group of numbers divided by how many numbers there are in the group);
• the median (the middle value of a group of numbers);
• the mode or modus (the most common value of a group of numbers).

However, in common daily usage, the term 'average' often refers to the mean...and even more specifically to the arithmetic mean rather than to the geometric mean, harmonic mean, median or mode.

Yes I did. Often does not equal always. It is also "often" used erroneously or to help support a particular argument.

As I said in a previous post, people think they are being smart when they say that the average is the mean. The average can be a number of things.

 

[Number37]

Yes I did. Often does not equal always. It is also "often" used erroneously or to help support a particular argument.

As I said in a previous post, people think they are being smart when they say that the average is the mean. The average can be a number of things.

Not often.
Everyday of the week.

Who the hell is talking about the median or mode when they say average??
Nobody I know. They're all talking about the mean.

 

[Pacman82]

average = mean.

Yeah I meant median sorry.


Anyway, funny how this debate gets moved (swept under the rug), when it's members from the Yes campaign trying to argue that 50% of us are below average intelligence, which is false & even more bizarrely claiming that a mathematical scientific fact, average is different from median, is not true. It's completely absurd..

 

[GreyWind]

It wouldn't surprise me if 50% of Australians are functionally illiterate.

Unfortunately you're nearly spot on. It's 44% with a literacy level of 1 or 2 and 38% with level 3.

There's a fantastic show on SBS called "Lost for Words" it's startling how many Australian's don't have the literacy skills for everyday living.