i've heard plenty of times that numbers never lie. but they must. when do they?
2007-06-15 19:16:43 · 10 answers · asked by brandon 5 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Mathematics
Numbers can lie when they are falsely presented, in the case of statistics, the surveyors can ask only people that will give then the answer that they want, thereby created false numbers, or numbers that are lying. Mainly, the only time numbers are wrong, is when a person either wants the numbers to be something else or by mistake.
2007-06-15 19:27:09 · answer #1 · answered by swimmerkyle 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The ones that pop into mind are those pesky irrational numbers...(Daffy Duck voice) Ooooh I haaate them! Try dividing 2 by 3 and you'll see what I mean. And the granddaddy of them all is that guy Fibbonacci who discovered his own irrational sequence! Sheesh! What happened to the old days when "rules was rules" (snicker).
2007-06-15 19:28:51 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
1) When they represent a statistic taken by a poll or survey, as these generally are not 100% accurate
2) When they say the average couple in the U.S. has 2.5 children (its obvious you can't have 2 and a half children)
2007-06-15 19:25:03 · answer #3 · answered by superman 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I don't think numbers have the capability of lying. It would be the misuse of the mathematician that creates numbers to 'lie'.
2007-06-15 19:20:13 · answer #4 · answered by EMERGENCY 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
"Oh yeah, One was all like "Oh em gee! Like, Two was conjugating with Three". But I knew this was a lie because I'm Five and I didn't feel a thing... and I'm conjugating with Two and Three anyways. BOOYAH!", said the number five.
2007-06-15 19:25:52 · answer #5 · answered by TSSA! 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
When they are used by people.
Or when people make silly riddles. You might think I'm calling your riddle silly just because I don't know the answer, well, you might be right.
2007-06-15 19:42:07 · answer #6 · answered by tinkertailorcandlestickmaker 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
When they are presented in a fashion that hides their real meaning. This is often done in barcharts,etc.
2007-06-15 19:22:28 · answer #7 · answered by ironduke8159 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
When the calculator stops working.
2007-06-15 19:22:57 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
When their wife asks them how much they had to drink!
2007-06-15 19:30:28 · answer #9 · answered by brad p 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They don't. It's been mathematically proven.
2007-06-15 19:24:35 · answer #10 · answered by N/A 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋