hi all - appologies for not resonding earlier - but i delibereatly ` let the thread run ` to guage peoples replies
and the results astounded me - out of 70+ replies from different ATS members - only a handfull got it
with a shocking number just closing thier minds - unwilling or unable to think
now of course the "answer "
predictably the key to the answer is the implied question in the statement :
"99.7% of humans have an above average number of limbs "
despite the insistance of many - the answer does not require any knowledge of the number of humans who have a given number of limbs
the key is realising that the question that must be ansered is :
what is the average NUMBER of limbs ?
now - basic statistics :
an average is the sum of all variables , divided by the number of variables in the sample
what are the variables - obviously the number of limbs possesed
which can obviously be :
0 - no limbs
1 - one limb
2 - 2 limbs
3 - 3 limbs
4 - 4 limbs
5 - 5 limbs
thier are no recorded cases of a human with 6 limbs ]
thats it - the summ of the variables = 15 , and the number of variables = 6 , ergo the average number of limbs =
< drum roll >
2.5 simples
now where did i get 99.7% from - i read it on the internet - in an unexplained uncited blog entry
the % is probally mae up - as i can find no agregated demograpics for mimb ansence for every country in the world
% amputation for various militaries are availiable , as are the percapita cases of various congenital defects responsible for limb absence
and the predictable fact that cambodia has the largest per capita traumatic amputation rate
but the exact per capita rate of limb absence is largely irrelevant to the point of this thread - it was all about thinking - not a precise percentage
though you were expected to calculate what the average number of limbs was
however the actuall % is probally close to 99.7% as limb absence fro any reason is rate
there are < 5 cocumented cases of 5 limbed humans
the hast majority of the population are whole with 4 limbs
and single limb amputations [ traumatic or surgical ] are by far the most prevelant - and the numbers shrink with every stem ie two limbs missing is
far rarer than a single limb missing
and 2 limbs missing is far more prevelant than 3 limbs missing
so 3 + 4 limbed individuals make up the overwheming bulk of the populsation , which was the entire point of the " excersise "
so thankyou for your participation - and thanks to the mods for permitting me to post the vague question with no explaination in public