Play Nice Maths is not for joking people about.

[JackOutback]

50 per cent of Australians are of below average intelligence. That's just maths.

 

[Pacman82]

50 per cent of Australians are of below average intelligence. That's just maths.

No they aren't, if 4 Australians have an IQ between 100-110 & 1 Australian has an IQ of 30, then 80% of Australians are above average intelligence. Although in reality that figure appears to be closer to 53%. That's just maths Jack!

 

[Ghost Patrol]

No they aren't, if 4 Australians have an IQ between 100-110 & 1 Australian has an IQ of 30, then 80% of Australians are above average intelligence. Although in reality that figure appears to be close to 53%. That's just maths Jack!

There are millions of Australians. That said, maybe you're that 1.

 

[JackOutback]

You clearly don't understand that he confused the 'percentage' with the 'median' when analyzing data. But don't worry, you're probably in the popular majority there!

I feel like I've had this argument before in another thread but... you know median is an average, right? So 50 per cent of people below the median are below (median) average. That's maths.

 

[Pacman82]

I feel like I've had this argument before in another thread but... you know median is an average, right? So 50 per cent of people below the median are below (median) average. That's maths.

They're two completely different numbers mate, don't give up you're day job:

Median vs. Average: What's the Difference?

What's the difference between the median and the average? Here's the lowdown on this important concept that all home buyers and sellers need to know.

www.thebalancemoney.com

 

[Ghost Patrol]

They're two completely different numbers mate, don't give up you're day job:

Median vs. Average: What's the Difference?

What's the difference between the median and the average? Here's the lowdown on this important concept that all home buyers and sellers need to know.

www.thebalancemoney.com

The median is the middle value in a set of data. For the IQ scale, I believe that number is 100.

 

[Pacman82]

Median vs Average - Know the Difference Between Them

Learn the difference between the median and average. Get examples showing how you calculate the median and average.

sciencenotes.org

Maths 101

 

[Chief]

They're two completely different numbers mate, don't give up you're day job:

Median vs. Average: What's the Difference?

What's the difference between the median and the average? Here's the lowdown on this important concept that all home buyers and sellers need to know.

www.thebalancemoney.com

IQ follows a normal distribution. So yes, half of all people are below average.

 

[Pacman82]

IQ follows a normal distribution. So yes, half of all people are below average.

Even if we were to assume that's the only way to plot IQ, normal distribution curves have deviations & the IQ scores are put into 5 point ranges, therefore the average IQ in basically every case will never be the median. The fact also still remains that well over 50% of Australian's are above average intelligence as well.

 

[Crankyhawk]

The median is the middle value in a set of data. For the IQ scale, I believe that number is 100.

IQ results fall on a normal distribution curve with a median of 100 and a standard deviation of 15

 

[Corn Cobbers]

Oh god, you’re not the same poster that got schooled in another thread are you. Mean, mode and median are all averages. That is legitimately maths 101. Just because most people think of mean when they think of average does not mean median or mode are not averages.

No, only mean is the average

 

[Number37]

Even if we were to assume that's the only way to plot IQ, normal distribution curves have deviations & the IQ scores are put into 5 point ranges, therefore the average IQ in basically every case will never be the mean. The fact also still remains that well over 50% of Australian's are above average intelligence as well.

average = mean.

 

[JackOutback]

No, only mean is the average

View attachment 1794155

I'm genuinely starting to despair at the lack of understanding around averages. I'm no maths expert but I remember what I was taught in primary school (and my brother is a maths teacher, to confirm). I'll need someone better at numbers than me to explain trimean, trimedian and normalised mean, all of which are also averages.

We use three different types of average in maths: the mean, the mode and the median, each of which describes a different ‘normal’ value. The mean is what you get if you share everything equally, the mode is the most common value, and the median is the value in the middle of a set of data. You use the different averages in different situations, depending on what you want to communicate with your sums.

The Three Types of Average – Median, Mode and Mean - dummies

We use three different types of average in maths: the mean, the mode and the median, each of which describes a different ‘normal’ value. The mean is what you ge

www.dummies.com

 

[Corn Cobbers]

I'm genuinely starting to despair at the lack of understanding around averages. I'm no maths expert but I remember what I was taught in primary school (and my brother is a maths teacher, to confirm). I'll need someone better at numbers than me to explain trimean, trimedian and normalised mean, all of which are also averages.

The Three Types of Average – Median, Mode and Mean - dummies

We use three different types of average in maths: the mean, the mode and the median, each of which describes a different ‘normal’ value. The mean is what you ge

www.dummies.com

This all started because you used the word "average" without clarifying, you should have used the specific word "median" as that is what you meant

"Average" in ordinary use is the sum of the numbers divided by how many numbers are on the list

 

[Carn The Berries]

No, only mean is the average

View attachment 1794155

I've deliberately stayed out of this thread until now (the tone of debate is about what I expected). But I can't let this go on any longer.

Glossary:Average - Statistics Explained

ec.europa.eu

Here is some light reading, as documented by the European Union, which discusses the different types of AVERAGE.

Please don't make me use my David Warner example again... All average calculations have pros and cons, nonetheless they are measures of average.

 

[Carn The Berries]

average = mean.

This ^^^ = wrong

Glossary:Average - Statistics Explained

ec.europa.eu

 

[Corn Cobbers]

I've deliberately stayed out of this thread until now (the tone of debate is about what I expected). But I can't let this go on any longer.

Glossary:Average - Statistics Explained

ec.europa.eu

Here is some light reading, as documented by the European Union, which discusses the different types of AVERAGE.

Please don't make me use my David Warner example again... All average calculations have pros and cons, nonetheless they are measures of average.

So if you meant "median" you'd use the word "average"? Just to confuse everyone?

 

[Carn The Berries]

So if you meant "median" you'd use the word "average"? Just to confuse everyone?

It would only confuse those people who didn't understand statistics, those who do would identify the anomaly and seek clarification. The thing is, people pick up on this, and then think they are smarter than everyone else by trying to say that median isn't an average (which it is). In their attempts to look superior, they just prove that they don't understand the topic.

House prices are a good example. You hear about average house prices going up all the time. In the vast majority of cases, median price is being used as the reference point.

 

[SaintsSeptember]

I suspect that most statisticians would assume most here were on the wrong side of most of those averages.

 

[Carn The Berries]

I suspect that most statisticians would assume most here were on the wrong side of most of those averages.

And perhaps conclude that IQ was not normally distributed.

 

[Corn Cobbers]

It would only confuse those people who didn't understand statistics, those who do would identify the anomaly and seek clarification. The thing is, people pick up on this, and then think they are smarter than everyone else by trying to say that median isn't an average (which it is). In their attempts to look superior, they just prove that they don't understand the topic.

House prices are a good example. You hear about average house prices going up all the time. In the vast majority of cases, median price is being used as the reference point.

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?

 

[Sun Ra]

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?

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

 

[JackOutback]

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?

Given I was responding to a comment about the 'average Australian' with an offhand joke, writing 'half of all Australians are below the median statistical point' would have demonstrated I don't understand how jokes work. So I instead put faith in my audience, misplaced though it now seems. And on that note...

 

[tandino]

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?

It's implied in the statement.

 

[Chief]

Given I was responding to a comment about the 'average Australian' with an offhand joke, writing 'half of all Australians are below the median statistical point' would have demonstrated I don't understand how jokes work. So I instead put faith in my audience, misplaced though it now seems. And on that note...

Needs its own thread.