245 degrees would be my choice, too.
But it raises an interesting point about how even the simple mean can
be trickier than is usually thought. e.g. Average time going to bed.
Monday 11 PM
Tuesday midnight
Weds. 1 AM
Thurs 10 PM
Fri 2 AM
mean = (11 + 12 + 1 + 10 + 2 )/5 = 36/5 = A little after 7 PM ???
It takes a little thought to figure this one out.
Or this paradox:
You are given two envelopes. Each has money. One has twice as much as
the other. If you pick envelope A, then it makes sense to switch to
envelope B because either B has twice as much, or half as much. Call
the amount in A 'x'; then then mean of what might be in B is
(1/2X + 2X)/2 = 1.25 X so you should switch. Of course, you should
then switch back to A, for the same reason......
Peter
"You gotta be careful taking averages. On average, Switzerland is
flat. Throw the mountains into the lakes, and it evens out" Herman
Friedman
>>> [EMAIL PROTECTED] 2/24/2004 9:48:30 AM >>>
Jerry Dallal wrote:
>
> Dennis Roberts wrote:
>
> > I think before we get too "excited" about all this ... we need to
ask
> > ... why would anyone really want someone to know the average of
two
> > numbers?
>
> Sir, Scylla at 50 degrees and Charybdis at 80 degrees! Heading?
245 degrees, surely?
-Robert Dawson
.
.
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