# How old are you? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 27, 2004, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-old-are-you/266377 "2004-09-27T23:29:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 11
**Author:** ![Vision\_of\_Love](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Vision\_of\_Love](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Vision_of_Love)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2004, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-old-are-you/266377/201 "2004-10-03T02:31:45Z")
20 Wow, not a lot of age-mates in here. ---
**Author:** ![SnakeSpirit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snakespirit/32/7271_2.png) [@SnakeSpirit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SnakeSpirit)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2004, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-old-are-you/266377/202 "2004-10-03T02:39:19Z")
> [@David Simmons](#): > > OK. Through page 1 I get > > avg = 32.273 > > st dev = 10.939 > > My WAG is that this isn’t going to change much. > > As you can tell, I don’t have a lot to do on Saturday night. However, _As Time Goes By_ comes up soon and I’m leaving for now. Hey, that’s a start! Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![coop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/87869e/32.png) [@coop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/coop)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2004, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-old-are-you/266377/203 "2004-10-03T03:08:06Z")
37 (am I the only 37 year old here??? 😕 ) ---
**Author:** ![Sylkyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/da6949/32.png) [@Sylkyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sylkyn)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2004, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-old-are-you/266377/204 "2004-10-03T03:08:36Z")
Belated Happiest of Birthdays to **Ruby**! I’m always glad to see folks that are just a shade older than I am! 😉 Which makes me 44, as of this past July. Hell, I got underwear older than some of the folks here. No, I don’t wear it…it wouldn’t fit anyway… 😃 ---
**Author:** ![David\_Simmons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9de053/32.png) [@David\_Simmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David_Simmons)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2004, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-old-are-you/266377/205 "2004-10-03T04:27:30Z")
Results through **bafaa** on page 3: Avg = 33.570 st dev = 11.487 Here is a [plot of the results so far.](http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/dwsimm2000/detail?.dir=/8cf7&.dnm=ada7.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![ReuvenB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9fc348/32.png) [@ReuvenB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ReuvenB)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2004, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-old-are-you/266377/206 "2004-10-03T04:30:58Z")
I’m 17. ---
**Author:** ![Volta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/ce73a5/32.png) [@Volta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Volta)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2004, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-old-are-you/266377/207 "2004-10-03T04:42:25Z")
19 for another week. Finally almost done being a teenager! ---
**Author:** ![Krisfer\_the\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Krisfer\_the\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Krisfer_the_Cat)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2004, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-old-are-you/266377/208 "2004-10-03T05:06:53Z")
39 Oddly enough I am looking forward to my 40s. I didn’t enjoy being a 20 something very much, but my 30’s have been a riot and so I have high hopes for my 40s! Which incidentally will happen on April 21rst. ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2004, 5:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-old-are-you/266377/209 "2004-10-03T05:32:26Z")
Congratulations! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![wonder9](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c57346/32.png) [@wonder9](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonder9)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2004, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-old-are-you/266377/210 "2004-10-03T23:15:56Z")
46 I hated my teenage years. Liked my 20’s. Loved my 30’s. And my 40’s have been fabulous. I may not look as good as I did, but I feel better. 50 is going to be awesome. ---
**Author:** ![drewbert](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drewbert/32/15890_2.png) [@drewbert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewbert)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2004, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-old-are-you/266377/211 "2004-10-03T23:36:05Z")
31 next month. ---
**Author:** ![SnakeSpirit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snakespirit/32/7271_2.png) [@SnakeSpirit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SnakeSpirit)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2004, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-old-are-you/266377/212 "2004-10-03T23:57:53Z")
> [@David Simmons](#): > > Results through **bafaa** on page 3: > > Avg = 33.570 > > st dev = 11.487 > > Here is a [plot of the results so far.](http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/dwsimm2000/detail?.dir=/8cf7&.dnm=ada7.jpg) Thanks for your work on this, **David**. I guess I’m kinda dumb on data anaysis, cause I don’t understand the chart (and I don’t understand why the standard deviation is relevent or necessary). I do get that the average age of dopers is about 33½ years old, though, and I guess that’s the important thing. It would also be interesting to see things like ‘how many in certain age ranges’ and stuff. maybe I’ll haul out my spreadsheet and give it a shot (if you promise not to laugh!) ---
**Author:** ![David\_Simmons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9de053/32.png) [@David\_Simmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David_Simmons)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2004, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-old-are-you/266377/213 "2004-10-04T02:08:07Z")
> [@SnakeSpirit](#): > > Thanks for your work on this, **David**. I guess I’m kinda dumb on data anaysis, cause I don’t understand the chart (and I don’t understand why the standard deviation is relevent or necessary). > > I do get that the average age of dopers is about 33½ years old, though, and I guess that’s the important thing. > > It would also be interesting to see things like ‘how many in certain age ranges’ and stuff. maybe I’ll haul out my spreadsheet and give it a shot (if you promise not to laugh!) The chart simply plots the ages as reported. For example 1 on the horizontal axis matches the first posted age (it looks like about 20 years) on the vertical scale and so on. The standard deviation is a measure of the spread of the data. The standard deviation of 11 for an average of 33 is quite high indicating the the data are scattered relatively widely around the average. And that’s what the chart shows also. ---
**Author:** ![Sternvogel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc79bd/32.png) [@Sternvogel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sternvogel)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2004, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-old-are-you/266377/214 "2004-10-04T02:11:06Z")
Born August 30, 1959, so 45 right now. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2004, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-old-are-you/266377/215 "2004-10-04T02:15:48Z")
I turn 48 the day after the election. If you want to get me something, I’ve been wanting a new president. ---
**Author:** ![melondeca](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5a626/32.png) [@melondeca](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/melondeca)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2004, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-old-are-you/266377/216 "2004-10-04T02:22:44Z")
26 on November 7th ---
**Author:** ![David\_Simmons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9de053/32.png) [@David\_Simmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David_Simmons)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2004, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-old-are-you/266377/217 "2004-10-04T02:23:33Z")
> [@David Simmons](#): > > The chart simply plots the ages as reported. For example 1 on the horizontal axis matches the first posted age (it looks like about 20 years) on the vertical scale and so on. Hell, I misread my own chart. This is a warning, don’t get old. The first age appears to be about 30 and on checking I find it is 31. The approximate age of each responder can be read off the chart opposite the number on the horizontal axis. However the main purpose of the chart is to give a feeling for the overall spread of the data. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2004, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-old-are-you/266377/218 "2004-10-04T02:28:10Z")
53 a week ago. ---
**Author:** ![RedFury](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ec9cab/32.png) [@RedFury](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RedFury)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2004, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-old-are-you/266377/219 "2004-10-04T02:28:26Z")
48 ---
**Author:** ![David\_Simmons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9de053/32.png) [@David\_Simmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David_Simmons)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2004, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-old-are-you/266377/220 "2004-10-04T02:53:52Z")
> [@SnakeSpirit](#): > > It would also be interesting to see things like ‘how many in certain age ranges’ and stuff. maybe I’ll haul out my spreadsheet and give it a shot (if you promise not to laugh!) Here are[all of the ages from 1 to 100](http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/dwsimm2000/detail?.dir=8cf7&.dnm=f0d5.jpg) in bar chart form. A horizontal line drawn across the chart at any age, as the sample, black 28 year old line, allows simply counting the number at that age. In this case 4. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-old-are-you/266377.md?page=10) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-old-are-you/266377.md?page=12)