# ­xkcd thread **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** comic-strips\ **Created:** [May 28, 2020, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574 "2020-05-28T00:57:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 31
**Author:** ![Pleonast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pleonast/32/1183_2.png) [@Pleonast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pleonast)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2021, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/601 "2021-03-12T15:07:27Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Proof of convergence is easy: All three of those “averages” are guaranteed to return a number greater than the least input and smaller than the greatest input, so the range from least to greatest will always be shrinking. Not so fast, at least if we’re in the complex domain. For example, the arithmetic mean of [2, i 2] is 1+i which has a smaller magnitude than either inputs. I suspect there’s still convergence, but we have to be careful. ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2021, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/602 "2021-03-12T15:28:53Z")
The [ExplainXKCD page](https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php/2435:_Geothmetic_Meandian) for this comic already has a Python implementation, along with an exhaustive analysis. I won’t vouch for any of that, but it’s there. ---
**Author:** ![k9bfriender](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k9bfriender/32/3283_2.png) [@k9bfriender](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/k9bfriender)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2021, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/603 "2021-03-12T15:30:39Z")
Heh, I wonder how hypercomplex numbers behave. ---
**Author:** ![naita](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naita/32/5862_2.png) [@naita](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/naita)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2021, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/604 "2021-03-12T19:20:23Z")
> [@gnoitall](#): > > The [ExplainXKCD page](https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php/2435:_Geothmetic_Meandian) for this comic already has a Python implementation, along with an exhaustive analysis. Yeah, I figured I’d have to be a lot faster than I am if I were to get there first. I kind of want to do a visual thing showing of the a-mean, g-mean, median and the xkcd-function behaves for different distributions, but not enough to do the work. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![k9bfriender](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k9bfriender/32/3283_2.png) [@k9bfriender](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/k9bfriender)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2021, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/605 "2021-03-12T19:24:33Z")
Maybe someone should forward this one to Matt Parker of Standup Maths. He likes to do unnecessary work. ---
**Author:** ![Pleonast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pleonast/32/1183_2.png) [@Pleonast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pleonast)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2021, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/606 "2021-03-12T19:32:02Z")
> [@gnoitall](#): > > The [ExplainXKCD page](https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php/2435:_Geothmetic_Meandian) for this comic already has a Python implementation, along with an exhaustive analysis. Not exhaustive, the analysis is restricted to non-negative reals. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2021, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/607 "2021-03-12T19:35:38Z")
> [@dtilque](#): > > I suspect that even the math nerds are not going to find this especially funny. I feel this is a case where some people will chuckle because they get the joke and know other people will not, even though the joke itself is not the funny. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2021, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/608 "2021-03-12T19:56:03Z")
> [@Pleonast](#): > > Not so fast, at least if we’re in the complex domain. For example, the arithmetic mean of [2, i 2] is 1+i which has a smaller magnitude than either inputs. And the arithmetic mean of -1 and 1 is 0, which is also smaller in magnitude than either of the inputs. Which is why I specified “At least, if you’re starting with positive values.”. > [@Pleonast](#): > > Not a big difference, actually. That’s the point made in the mouseover text: Toss together any set of “averaging” functions you want, and as long as the median is one of them, the others won’t matter much. You could even do something crazy like the weighted arithmetic mean of the largest and smallest, which is most definitely not a good averaging function for almost any inputs, and it’ll still converge. Of course, the lesson from this is that, in any data set where you’re sufficiently ignorant of the meaning to consider using the Gmdn, you should probably just use the median and be done with it. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2021, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/609 "2021-03-13T02:13:17Z")
Said another way, any averaging function throws away a _lot_ of information. When averaging, it’s way too easy to throw out 100% of the baby along with most of the bathwater. Only if you understand your data can you reliably hold onto the kid when you give the bassinet the old heave ho! 😉 ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2021, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/610 "2021-03-13T03:01:37Z")
> **[Circles](https://xkcd.com/2436/)** > > ( MSTE ( AR ) CD ) ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2021, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/611 "2021-03-15T19:11:08Z")
> **[Post-Vaccine Party](https://xkcd.com/2437/)** > > \[Future update\] Well, someone accidentally dropped an M&M in their cup of ice water, and we all panicked and scattered. ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2021, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/612 "2021-03-15T19:23:00Z")
He missed an intermediate circle between “Mastercard” and “Audi” for Disney. ---
**Author:** ![Pleonast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pleonast/32/1183_2.png) [@Pleonast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pleonast)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2021, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/613 "2021-03-15T19:23:02Z")
> [@dtilque](#): > > Well, someone accidentally dropped an M&M in their cup of ice water, and we all panicked and scattered. But homemade placebos are the best! ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2021, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/614 "2021-03-15T19:23:44Z")
Not “exhausive”, then. “Exhausting.” ---
**Author:** ![Pleonast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pleonast/32/1183_2.png) [@Pleonast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pleonast)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2021, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/615 "2021-03-15T19:25:09Z")
> [@gnoitall](#): > > Not “exhausive”, then. “Exhausting.”   Turn in your math nerd card. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2021, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/616 "2021-03-15T19:48:54Z")
> [@gnoitall](#): > > He missed an intermediate circle between “Mastercard” and “Audi” for Disney. Huh? Disney’s logo does not include any intersecting circles. It’s unfortunate he couldn’t have had one for Venn Diagram, but there are no three mutually intersecting circles that are a subset of the others. ---
**Author:** ![gdave](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gdave/32/3683_2.png) [@gdave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gdave)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2021, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/617 "2021-03-15T20:08:48Z")
> [@dtilque](#): > > Huh? Disney’s logo does not include any intersecting circles. Disney sometimes uses a [stylized version of the outline of Mickey Mouse’s head which is just three circles.](https://disney.fandom.com/wiki/Hidden_Mickey) But that doesn’t really fit the pattern. They aren’t of equal size, and they’re silhouettes, not empty circles. ---
**Author:** ![Pleonast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pleonast/32/1183_2.png) [@Pleonast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pleonast)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2021, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/618 "2021-03-15T20:15:00Z")
> [@gdave](#): > > they’re silhouettes, not empty circles. As is the MasterCard logo: [![](https://brand.mastercard.com/content/dam/mccom/brandcenter/thumbnails/mastercard_circles_92px_2x.png) ](https://brand.mastercard.com/content/dam/mccom/brandcenter/thumbnails/mastercard_circles_92px_2x.png) ---
**Author:** ![gdave](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gdave/32/3683_2.png) [@gdave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gdave)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2021, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/619 "2021-03-15T20:17:40Z")
Sort of. They’re colored, but clearly overlapping circles with clearly differentiated outlines. I can’t get a good image to display on this board (Discourse doesn’t seem to be able to parse the links), but if you click on the embedded link in my post, you’ll see that they are pure black silhouettes, with no outlines, which doesn’t fit Randall’s pattern. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2021, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/620 "2021-03-15T20:19:16Z")
I’m not sure if this one is supposed to be somehow a joke about the coronavirus, or a joke about Munroe’s anemic social life in general. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574.md?page=30) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574.md?page=32)