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How Well Do You Estimate?

Posted by michael on from the SWAG dept.

A random UK blogger has published a quiz asking readers to estimate various numeric values which they may or may not have knowledge of; and has analyzed the resulting answers to determine how well people guess. The first part of the results looks at some specific questions, and the second part takes a look at the quiz overall.

17 of 374 comments (clear)

  1. I estimate that... by garcia · · Score: 3, Funny

    I estimate that I would end up somewhere in the middle.

    1. Re:I estimate that... by BoldAC · · Score: 5, Funny

      Reminds me of the joke...

      Why can't girls measure distances?

      (Holding up a pinkie)

      Because they've been told that THIS is 6 inches all their life.

      AC

    2. Re:I estimate that... by m_chan · · Score: 4, Funny

      I estimate that I would end up somewhere in the middle.

      Does that imply that you are mean spirited?

    3. Re:I estimate that... by ThePlague · · Score: 4, Funny

      I've heard that joke in a somewhat different form:

      Q: Why are men so much better at reading maps?

      A: Because only the male mind is comfortable with the concept "one inch equals one mile".

    4. Re:I estimate that... by Anixamander · · Score: 4, Funny

      In Russia most people overestimate the percentage of people with higher education as well. (Don't have the reference handy, but you probably can't read in Russian anyway - but it's on fom.ru). Also, about 60% of Russians said they want their kids to become scientists - even while the average salary in science is around povery line and everyone knows it.

      No offense, but this is the worst In Soviet Russia joke ever.

      --
      Do not taunt Happy Fun Ball(TM)
  2. good point by PatrickThomson · · Score: 5, Funny
    How Well Do You Estimate?

    With 44.7% accuracy!

    more or less.

    --
    I am one of many. My idea is not unique, nor do I expect my voice alone to sway you. I speak in a chorus of opinion.
  3. Mirrors by wetlettuce · · Score: 5, Funny

    I would estimate that that server stayed up less than 2 minutes after the story was published. Mirrors anyone?

  4. I estimate by penguinoid · · Score: 3, Funny

    that I will get a +3, funny

    --
    Don't waste your vote! Vote for whoever you want, unless you live in a swing state it won't matter anyways
  5. Uh-oh by lukewarmfusion · · Score: 4, Funny

    Server timed out trying to contact ex-parrot.com.

    Looks like we've got an ex-webserver on our hands.
    .
    .
    "It's not dead, it's IIS!"

    1. Re:Uh-oh by bittmann · · Score: 4, Funny

      It's not pining, it's passed on. This webserver is no more. It has ceased to be. It's expired and gone to meet its maker. This is a late webserver. It's a stiff. Bereft of life, it rests in peace. If you hadn't nailed it to an IP address, it would be pushing up the daisies. It's rung down the curtain and joined the choir invisible. This is an ex-webserver.

  6. I estimate.... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

    that we'll end up with about 30 comments about how fast the site went down due to slashdotting....

  7. I'm pretty good by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

    I can usually estimate within plus or minus one or two Libraries of Congress every time.

  8. Re:Estimating Anecdote by savagedome · · Score: 5, Funny

    ... After a 2 year study, the National Science Foundation announced the following results on America's recreational preferences:

    1. The sport of choice for unemployed or incarcerated people is: basketball.
    2. The sport of choice for maintenance level employees is: bowling.
    3. The sport of choice for blue-collar workers is: football.
    4. The sport of choice for supervisors is: baseball.
    5. The sport of choice for middle management is: tennis.
    6. The sport of choice for corporate officers is: golf.

    Conclusion: The higher you rise in the corporate structure, the smaller your balls become.

    --


    Free XBox, PS2
  9. Light From the Sun by MikeMacK · · Score: 4, Funny
    * [How long does] light from the Sun [take] to reach the Earth?

    I guess it depends on if the chute opens or not

  10. Re:Estimating distances.. by david+duncan+scott · · Score: 4, Funny

    I'm assuming that you then double your estimate, or is this the friendly-fire method?

    --

    This next song is very sad. Please clap along. -- Robin Zander

  11. Amusing anecdote by Col.+Klink+(retired) · · Score: 4, Funny

    A former co-worker was telling us about some of her tutoring experiences. She was helping some high school kids with the concept of estimation. She looked at the ceiling and said you could estimate that it was about 10 feet high. She told them that "the great thing about estimation is that it doesn't have to be the 'right' answer."

    So she pointed a car parked nearby and asked one of the students how far he thought the car was. His reply, "50 gallons."

    Incredulous, she said that his answer didn't make sense.

    "But that's the great thing about estimation! It doesn't have to be right!"

    --

    -- Don't Tase me, bro!

  12. Re:Mythical Man Month by AuMatar · · Score: 3, Funny

    He was estimating the name of the book.

    --
    I still have more fans than freaks. WTF is wrong with you people?