The WSJ's Numbers Guy column looks at math mistakes in the news (Monitoring the Numbers in the News). He lays down a challenge to his readers to find some mistakes. Below in italics is my feeble attempt at the answers. The quiz makes me feel like an idiot. A complete idiot.
Each example has a numerical problem. Some are flat-out wrong; others are simply unclear or missing key bits of information. I invite you to put yourself in the role of the copy editor assigned to the article, and write in to suggest how you would change these passages, or which questions you would ask the reporter in order to change them. Send your responses to [email protected], subject line "quiz." In the next column I'll go over the responses.
1. Boosting the state's economy was a central tenet of Governor Smith's campaign as a challenger in the 2002 election. His supporters note that statewide economic growth of 3.5% in 2004 was a new record under Gov. Smith.
Hmmm. Boosting the economy above an all-time high growth rate might be tough? Or, could it be that the economy is boosted even if the growth rate falls, as long as the growth rate is positive?
2. A crowd of 93,356 saw the U.S. women's soccer team beat China, 1-0, to clinch the World Cup. That was the largest crowd to witness a women's athletic event since the 1996 soccer final at the Atlanta Olympic Games, which drew a record 84,975 fans.
I'm stumped, does that make me a dolt? Ok, maybe this is one of those missing information, like the year in which 93,356 same the 1-0 rout?
3. Visa announced that its new credit card will carry an adjustable rate set monthly at four percent above the prime rate, in line with other variable-rate cards.
Hmmmm. I'm stumped again. Or is that that "adjustable rate" and "variable-rate" are not synonymous?
4. The glaciers that span much of Greenland are melting quickly; one of them has more than doubled in speed, moving at a rate of 5.2 miles an hour, compared with 2.3 miles an hour a year earlier.
2.3 x 2 = 4.6 < 5.2 so the "more than doubled part is OK. I think this one has something to do with the time period. Maybe "rate of" should be before 2.3? I'll stop. I'm just guessing.
5. College grades carry the most weight, making up 56% of the final score. Fourteen percent is composed of test scores, recommendations and activities. The final 29% comes from 10 other criteria.
A gimme: 56% + 14% + 29% = 99% < 100% (please tell me that I'm right)
6. Since the displaced soil had a volume of more than 450,000 square yards, construction required many cranes.
Only one crane was required. You can move the same volume with one crane but it will take a longer time period. Many cranes weren't required except to move the volume in a given time period.
7. The charity said it would keep 30% of the funds it raises, with the remaining 70% divided as follows: grants to professors, 35%; grants to students, 20%, and grants to universities, 15%.
The divided amounts should be scaled by 1/.70 so that the remaining 70% sums to 100%: .35/.7 = .50, .2/.7 =. 29, and .15/.7 = .21.
8. Battling Hunger, a food pantry, said it delivered 110,000 tons of food to Detroit last Thanksgiving. The food was delivered to help residents there overcome the effects of a severe economic slump, particularly in the automobile industry.
Imagine John sitting slack-jawed staring at the screen.
9. The football program has a 100% graduation rate, near the top of Division 1 colleges. The national average is below 50%.
A 100% graduate rate would put the football program at the top!
10. Chipper Jones is batting just .176 in 85 at-bats with the Braves. But he has had more success as a pinch hitter, with five hits in 30 at-bats, including one that clinched a playoff spot.
Five hits in 30 at-bats is a BA of .167.
Help!
Okay I will take a stab a one.
2. A crowd of 93,356 saw the U.S. women's soccer team beat China, 1-0, to clinch the World Cup. That was the largest crowd to witness a women's athletic event since the 1996 soccer final at the Atlanta Olympic Games, which drew a record 84,975 fans.
It is the largest crowd since the Atlana Olympic games. (It also happens to be larger than that crowd making this a new record.)
Posted by: pete | January 21, 2006 at 04:09 PM
6. Volume is measured in cubic yards, not square yards.
Posted by: Jim | January 21, 2006 at 09:43 PM
8. 110,000 tons of food would be over two hundred pounds per person for everyone in the city. That would be quite a Thanksgiving meal.
Posted by: Erich | January 22, 2006 at 01:15 AM
4. If the glacier is receding at 5 miles per hour, that would be over a hundred miles a day. Possibly they intended to say five miles per _year_.
Posted by: Erich | January 22, 2006 at 01:24 AM
> 2. A crowd of 93,356 saw the U.S. women's soccer team beat China, 1-0, to clinch the World Cup. That was the largest crowd to witness a women's athletic event since the 1996 soccer final at the Atlanta Olympic Games, which drew a record 84,975 fans.
The 1999 match was held in a larger stadium.
Posted by: Stefano | January 23, 2006 at 07:53 AM
9. The football program has a 100% graduation rate, near the top of Division 1 colleges. The national average is below 50%.
A 100% graduate rate would put the football program at the top!
But football players always give one hundred and ten percent.
Posted by: pete | January 23, 2006 at 05:23 PM
1. Boosting the state's economy was a central tenet of Governor Smith's campaign as a challenger in the 2002 election. His supporters note that statewide economic growth of 3.5% in 2004 was a new record under Gov. Smith.
If he was elected in 2002, he started in 2003. Can we call 2003's growth rate a record and then 2004 a NEW record? Just a guess.
Posted by: Tim | January 24, 2006 at 03:48 PM