If something happened 7.5 years ago you can say it happened almost 8 years ago. But you can also say it happened almost 10 years ago. Where do we draw the line?

[SwimModSponges]

If something happened 3.5 years ago, it happened almost 4 years ago.

But did it happen almost 5 years ago?

That's a bit of a stretch, right?

[André Toulon]

1 hour ago, SwimModSponges said:

If something happened 3.5 years ago, it happened almost 4 years ago.

But did it happen almost 5 years ago?

That's a bit of a stretch, right?

Mode, median and means must have been rough for you

[SwimModSponges]

Not really, but are you suggesting that's how we decide how appropriate it is to say "almost" with regards to time?

Can I see an example?

[André Toulon]

Not a 4th grade math teacher but call musket, I'm sure he'll be happy to flex for ya

[SwimModSponges]

Can you at least tell me which of the three we would use?

[SwimModSponges]

Or do you mean standard deviation?

Because that would make more sense, I guess?

[André Toulon]

12 minutes ago, SwimModSponges said:

Can you at least tell me which of the three we would use?

Median will show you how 2.5 is almost 0, 5 and 3.

2.5 isn't Almost 6 because the median of 0 and 6 is 3. 

But I'm sure you know how math works...what you're doing is trying to say almost is ill defined....I submit that you can no longer spearhead your religion if you are willing to exile almost as a concept of time.

Edited May 5, 2021 by André Toulon

[wacky1980]

7.5 is not almost 10

3.5 is not almost 5

it's not a statistical significance thing. it's a matter of providing accurate-ish estimates for the sake of simplicity. 7.5 isn't almost 10 because it's a full 25% less, which is a lot. 97.5 is almost 100 because it's just a couple % different. 

edit: i think i see where this is going, nevermind.

Edited May 5, 2021 by wacky1980

[bnmjy]

What is "it" when you ask "what time is it?"

ＤＥＥＰ

[SwimModSponges]

5 minutes ago, wacky1980 said:

7.5 is not almost 10

3.5 is not almost 5

it's not a statistical significance thing. it's a matter of providing accurate-ish estimates for the sake of simplicity. 7.5 isn't almost 10 because it's a full 25% less, which is a lot. 97.5 is almost 100 because it's just a couple % different. 

edit: i think i see where this is going, nevermind.

But is 8 almost 10?

Like, if somebody is 8 minutes late, are they almost 10 minutes late?

Is it that 5% between 75-80 where we  draw the line?

As far as where this is headed, I was pooping this morning and this is what popped into my head.

Figured I'd ask about it here, get some opinions.

[Doom Metal Alchemist]

17 hours ago, SwimModSponges said:

But is 8 almost 10?

Like, if somebody is 8 minutes late, are they almost 10 minutes late?

Is it that 5% between 75-80 where we  draw the line?

As far as where this is headed, I was pooping this morning and this is what popped into my head.

Figured I'd ask about it here, get some opinions.

As buddy pointed out, time is your goddamn religion cult, why don't you tell us? 

[Distortedreasoning]

i say after 9.5 years, you can round up to 10.

otherwise just round up and say things like this happened about 9 years ago. 

and if you dont remember exactly, you can still say about. 

[RainyDayJizz#35]

20 hours ago, André Toulon said:

Not a 4th grade math teacher but call musket, I'm sure he'll be happy to flex for ya

That was like 40 years ago.

[SwimModSponges]

Now when you say "like 40 years," do you mean 30?

[scoobdog]

2 hours ago, RainyDayJizz#35 said:

That was like 40 years ago.

40?

What the fuck?

[RainyDayJizz#35]

12 hours ago, SwimModSponges said:

Now when you say "like 40 years," do you mean 30?

One thing I loved learning about Jim Norton is that when any person asks him to guess a numerical value he goes astronomical every time to ruin the actual number.

"You'll never guess how I came up on stocks this month, man."

"537 million dollars!"

"Um, no, it was like ten grand though."

"Oh, okay."